The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-10-18
AGRICULTURAL.


observation-disclosures of the Soil.
Nurserymen have good opportunity
OF ascertainlng the influence OF deep and
heq,Ssa; !oeseHing of the soil. The usua
| practice in this country is to pIow between
the rows of trees, as deeply as a one
horse plow can go with safety to the roots,
and then TO follow with cultivator or
horse-hoe. The plow is used two, three,
or four times year, according to the
stiffness or looseness Of the soil, and the
cultlvator as often as once a fortnight, saw
from Mayto October. This is not only
an economical mode Of culture, but, in
this country, the very bes, that could be
followed. 1t protects the trees against
the effects OF our long and severe
droughts. 1t is very comEon TO see nur-
sery trees, thus treated in fine growing
condition while others, that have been
merely surface dressed with hand-hoe,
are completely ut stand still. Ii we
turn over ground that has been kept fine
ly aud deeply palverized by frequent STIR
ring, we find moisture even in The driest
times ; while ground that has been left
-unstirred until il has become hard on the
snrtace, will Htuin up as dry and as warm
as though it had been bakel in an oven.
In our grounds, a plot of Norway Spruce
is planted in beds of six rows each, with
distance Of about eighteen inches be-
tween the rows; the plo~ aud cutivator
cannot pass between Them, and they have
To be hand-hoed. Between The beds,
however, thereis space Of three or three
and half feet, which Is regularly dress
ed with the plow aud horse-hoe and the
rowe on either side of this space have in
three years grown nearly twice rs large
rs those dressed with tile hans, hoe only.
One year we took it into our head To
grow crop OF Carrots among some
rows of young apple trees. Tie rows
were three aud n hal feet apart, and we
sowed one row of Carrots in the center.
This prevent dstbe use of the plow aud
---.-,------- a,--.,, fs~s 'Untv me
hand'h0e. In lfse btr We observed tliat
q portion Of the plot OF apple trees not
cropped with carrots, lHt worked in the
nsua' way viii piow aud cutivator, were
@'houi twice rs large as the others. and
t'tey were really marketable two wears
8. roner Is.'
We tindtha deep culture has the same
effect On root crops -Brr,s, Carrots. Tur.
nlI'o, &c.--a Il has on trees the fire.
queur use o. rbe cu.tvator will produce
twice the bulk on he sau.e ground as
hand poeing merely, h.s is our expert
ence AT least.
Bul We Will be told that il is impossi
bie 10 use The plow aud cullivator in or
ciiar'is and gardens, and on lawns, door
yards, dc. We know this and our oh
Ject in ailuIing To them Is 10 show the
nf1nence OF deep culture around the
roots OF trees. Where ,i.ey cannot be
used. we must substitute some other i'm.
| plements lliat will serve tie same pur
pose. The common hoe will not il is "A
poor implement, useful in afew Instances
only, and far more popular IN this coun.
try than IL deserves TO be. Ia the case of
young orchards, We would by all means
advise cropping the ground with some-
thing that would require constant cultiva-
ton n-Potatocs, Carrots, Beets, Turnips.
DC. Grain, Grass and Corn crops, should
be avoided as utterly ruino,i> to young
trees. Corn is less soIhan the others, he,
! cause it is plowed aud hoed bat it
snolhers the trees. il young, and puts a
complete s,op to their growth. Where
- grain crop may be absolutely necessary
in an orchard, strip should be left in
line with the rows Of trees, so that the
plow and cultvator might be used.
In plowing neSr trees, 3 slow and yen-
tie horse should be used, with long traces,
wbch give stcadiness to the plow. The
whfile trees should be as short rs possible.
aud have on each end piece Of cloth or
lnai: rnhlcr, so as TO prevent injury in
case il strikes the tree. In this way
careful handy man can plow within
few inches Of the trunk Of the tree. In
piowing directly over the roots, the fur.
row should be regulated SO a. not to cut
or tear them, and the plowing should al
ways extend at least two OF three feet be.
yond the roots.
| Where the use Of the plow and cult
yator is inprac,icai,le, toyked hoe with
long and stout pro ags should be used re-
peatedly dunng the season. This imple.
meut is much better than a spade, as IL
docs not cut the roots and il is better
than the common hoe, because Il enters
the ground deeply, and gives il a thor.
ough stirring up. Such an implement
AS this is exlens' vely used in France. In
the nurseries il is 10 general use. the rows
being generally 80 closely planted as TO
prevent the passage Of plow or cultiva-
tor between them. The latter implements
So rbnsidered by European nurserymen
~ ewhat bsrbaFous at any rate.
~ have known people 10 DO so fear
| fui iest they should disRguFe their lawn,
| that they would endeayor to plant trees
IN ths smallest possible openings, and
wou'd Immediately replace thetuff around
them. Is il not evident that tree a
planted must either die or grow feebly
: TO plant tree on lawn properly ans
successfully, wide hole should be eut fol
J. Il --fpis or fhres fipsfs .as ,side as a
fOots+-and. the whole Of this citcIe slsopIs