The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-07-18
N u M B E R %.
lqruultural.
Stirring the Soil and Mulch,ng.


Successful horticultural practice does
not depend SO much upon any one par,ic-
uiar item III culture, as upon the happy
com o'nai'on OF all the essential elements
OF growth in plan is. 1t Is not enough
that The soil lie thoroughly prepared, aud
seeds or plants properly inserted future
care and well directed culture will very
materially influence the product. Que of
the chei requisites Of vegetation is the
unlmpeded access Of air and moisture 10
the TOOLS Of plants, and in some soils it
is difficult to preserve this favorable con.
d't'on clayey soils, on account Of their
easy soluGilily, are readily consolidated
on the surface during rains aud subse.
queni drying winds ahd hot sun bake it
'nio crust, through which young plants
make slow progress, and which retards 10
certain degree, the admission of air 10
Their roots. 10 maintain an open and
conmlnuted surface is therefore special
point in clay soils. Hoeing or otherwise
breaking the soil is a necessary operation
alter the rain, and If performed at the
proper time, will require but little labor.
Such soils should no, be disturbed when
the surface Is wet and when well caked
becomes difficult and laborious opera
lon. The period between the softenipp
OF the soil by rains, and its crusting by
sun and droutbs will lie found the most
favorable and when this proper condi-
iion is attained, the hoe or cu,Iya,or
should be placed in active operation. To
facilitate these cultural operations, all
plants and crops should be grown on the
drill system the soil between the rows
can be loosed deeply with fork, which
is the most effective implement for this
purpose and has been, for many years,
gradually taking the place of the hoe in
The cultivation Of garden crops.
In the early stages of gre with, frequent
ly stirring the soil is most advantageous:
as crops advance and dry weather pre-.
walls, the labor saving system OF mulch.
ing may be resorted to- The beneficial
effects OF muIching newly planted trees
is now so well known that the practice is
widely adopted. lie effects are equally
apparent in the vegetable garden. One
OF the best potatoe crops we have seen
was produced in this way. As soon as
the young plants were above ground, the
soil between the rows was deeply loosen.
ed with diggit G fork, and the space
Immediately covered three inches thick
with newly cut grass from the lawn
They received no further care, with the
exception of pulling up few weeds DUR
ing summer, and The crop was, by actual
measurement, found TO be more than
double that OF the adjoining rows. In
maturing, preparation Of the ground and
planting, they were treated alike but
those that were mulched maintained a
healthy growth during Il severe droutb,
when others lost their foliage, and rlpen-
ed prematurely.
The early pea crops have also been
prolonged tor several weeks, BY muching
heavily between the rows with partially
rotteG straw in shor., the productive ca
pacities Of all crops will be Increased, ifa
uniform and constant degree Of moisture
IN maintained 10y preventing surface evap.
0 alton.
Refuse matter Of various kinds, such
AS chips, partially rolted leaves aud weeds,
grass, tanbark, DC, can be used for mul.
ching no better disposition can be made
OF the grass moved from the lawn,
spreading it thinly a, first, and repeating
the application from time to time, as the
material can lie collected.
We have remarked above that mulch.
ing is saving OF labor, and it is not the
least OF its recommendations that il pre-.
vents the wide spread growth O! weeds.
Farmer and Gordner.