Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-03-17
AGRICULTURAL. !

PLANTING TREES ON CLAYsY SOFIA
clayey soil is unsuitable for fruit trees, but
by draining, deep digging and manuring
may be ma1c .tplerable. Thorough and
deep drafting is, however; essential, and
without this, all attempts to cultivate fruit
on such d soil will prove more or less
failure: On such soils, also, the holes
for the reception Of, the roots must be
made broad, and filed with rich surface
soil, or such as will be permeable to the
roots. The holes should be at least from
six to eight feet across, that there may
be ample space for the young roots to
spread before the poorer soil is encoun-
tered: In planting trees, initiate nature,
and 10 not plant too deep, certainly OH
teitaciotis soils. The roots of all plants
shun stsgnant water, with the exception
of (: srtiall class and it is particularly
fatal to fruit. In some parts Of Belgium.
where clay soil prevails, trench seven
or eight feet in width, and two or three
feet in depth is made across the field or
fruit garden, filled in with permeable
richer soil, and in this the rows Of trees
uIt tlC COutluuSu tICuCu
ing off the surplus waters!
VALUE or AsHEs.-ProEessor jackson;
in illustrating the manner in which soils
might be rendered fertile said that. "a
farm within bis knowledge, which was
blowing sand, pine barren; and almost
hopeless, on which ten bushels of corn to
an acre could scarcely be gfBwn by the
judieiohs application of ashes; had been
made to produce forty or fifty bushels to
the acre" We do not question the cor
rectncss of DIR. Jackson's Statements.
Our observation has convinced us that on
sandy soils, with the exception of clay
mari, there is nothing more beneficial in
the application to. such soils, than ashes !;
and very fortunately, unless uncommon
quantities of acid exist: in such soils,
leached ashes are nearly as beneficial as
unleached ones. Ashes do what lime
cannot (; they render the soil more tena-
cious Of moisture, and although their ac-
ton is not as prompt or efficient on cold
sour soils, they are for the reason assigned.
considered as valuable on light sandy
ones OF this fact the farmers on the
light soils of Long Island ard New Jer-
sey, are well aware, and in the gathering
and application Of ashes, fra certain
source of profit,
DELIGHT OF HusBASDRY.--It is indeed
a noble occupation to till the soil. What
glorious triumphs has the hand Of husban--
man achieved! He indeed eats the bread
of iabor-he tolls early and te,--and
his garments At times are worn and dusty.
But what shapes of beauty and magnif
cence joes the earth take beneath his
hand He hews down the heavy forest
and lets the warm sunlight in upon the
dsmp mouldy earth. He breaks the stub-
born and rocky soil, and clothes it with
veadFare. He digs deep trenches and
plants the vine, with careful hand he
prunes the too luxurious growth and
hanges Beneath the broad green leaves
long clusters Of purple grapes Orchards
of mellow fruit glow in the ausumal sun
shine, and along the hills and ridges of
golden corn. In summer time the choicest
varieties of stock Craze in the meadow
beside the cool brook, and in winter they
delight in warm shelter, and pure wator,
and unstinted feed /; and he rejoices to see
them eat and thrive. 1t was that great
lawyer and statesman, Cicero, who said
when contemplating amid the cares of
state, the freedom and ease he enjoyed
when surrounded by the labors Of his
farms, that it was his greatest delight to
see his ewes eat and his lambs suck -
Prof. Bates Lecture.