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178 THE NURSERY-MANUALQ~S~~II~~N now oftett grow a cover-crop between trees tosttppl~* the tte&d humus, the various annual legutninous crops(11s ~ri~~0n &~erj being preferred, although rye and buckwheatare got Ml. In regions where tltey tnatu.re, cowpeas areSOWll. On accouttt of the scarcity and cost of labor, nurseriesare likel?, not to be kept so cleatt as fcrrtnerly throughout theSmsoll, and the wt~ds tttny add useful fiber to the land ; yet\veeds art‘ ttot to 1~ recommended for this purpose.For the resting period or rotat,iott betweett nursery crops,longer-lived crops tttay be used. Kains suggests sweet cloveras specially ~~Atablc ()I. Cf. Kaitts, “Plant Propagation, Greenhuseanti S~trwry Practice,” 19 I(j), “ because this plant burrowstfecpl>. and opts up the soil well besides adding considera’blehumus, both by its decaying roots and its tops, when these areturned uidt~. I’crhaps it woulti re$tce the rest.ing period totwo or three y~trs, as against, three to five or even tnore undercotmiiott pra&L’ K~uall~~ tlte nursery lands are rested inred clover or other meadow crop ; and if they can be pasturedbefore treed agnitl, the result is s~~ppc~~l to be better.Although tile clheniical analogs of nursery trees sltow comparativelysmall tttnounts of the more itnportant plant-foods,tiurscrj’ lt~ti(ls ~weti fertilizing. Sit rogett is needed in cotnparativelylarge atrtount.s. It chiefly cotiduccs to stronggrowth. It is also augmented by the addition of ltumus andthe improvemt~nt of the physical condit,iott of the soil. Whennursery stock is making a poor growth, the grower shouldfirst see that the tillage of the soil is as thorough and perfectas possible, to supply additional plant-food and to preservethe soil moisture. He may then add nitrogen in the form of&micals. Tl w application should be tnade in spring or earlysuttttttt’r. Ire should then be sure that ittsect or fungous attacksare averted. If the land was originally in fit conditionfor trees, and adapted to thetn, these suggestions should afiordrelief. More attention is being given to the complete fertiliz-