Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-10

There are some erroneous opinions entertain
ed in relation to the advantages of shading
growing plants. A parched surface soil is sup
posed to be detrimental to successful growth
hence the opinion that covering OF living
weeds or'grass protects the roots OF young trees
from the hot sun and drying up, and also that
Young crop of newly seeded grass will sue
coed better the first season under the heavy
shade of oats and wheat.
1t is familiar to most Of our reader that plants
in dry weather pump up large quantities OIL
wafer out Of the soil, and dissipate 1t freely
| from the surface of the leaves in the form OF
vapor. 1t would impress valuable lesson on
the mind Of any one not familiar with this fact,
to try the following experiment Allow piece
Of ground, say ten feet square, to grow upwth
dense mass Of grass or with crop OF rank
weeds adjoining it let d similar portion be
perfectly free from vegetable growth, and keep
the surface mellow raking or hoeing once
week or ottener. The superficial observer
would say that the exposed and bare soil thus
subjected to the burning rays Of summer sun
would soon become dry and all the moisture
dispeled from it, while he would take it for
granted that the dense covering OF the cool,
shading leaves on the other portion would keep
lub nOll CUOl huu LuOlbb uuluW' - lIb 40 NV u
ready aware that the exposed mellow soil forms
perfect mulch for the earth below on one part,
and that the thousands of stems Of living plants
on the other are bringing up and dscharging
water into the air at RAPID rate, he will be
very much surprised on thrusting spade into
different places to find that the exposed soil
s quite moist below the surface even if there
has been no rain for weeks, while the shad-
ed part will come up dry from the full depth
the spade has gone down. We advise every
one to try this experiment on account OF the
clear ocular demonstration it affords.
The practical deduction to be made from
these facts are that mellow soil with mel
low surface will retain moisture better than in
any other condition A mulching Of straw or
other litter (tbs matter being in dead or de-
caying state), answers good purpose to keep
the soil moist below, but it is not 30 good nor
efficient as the mulching of an equal thickness
Of puyerzed EARTH Pass down through a
stratum Of straw four inches thick, and observe
the degree Of moisture then remove four in
ches OF mellow top soil from another place, and
q greater degree Of moisture will be evident.
A hard, bare and unpuyerzed soil will not re-
tain moisture nearly 80 we'll as one that fire.
qnently has the crust broken and kept mellow.
Still worse than hard surface is growth of
grass and weeds. If these facts were sufficient
ly appreciated and understood the instances
would be less frequent of trec.planters allowing
their young orchards and frut-gardeps to be-
come hard and crusted, or to grow up with
weeds and few would ever think of setting
out young trees in grass, sooner than they
would plant crop Of potatoes in an unplow-
ed pasture or meadow. A further Illustration
Is furnished by tho practice Of one Of our best
farmers, who cultyaes his corn crop once a
week regularly, the whole season through, or
until the large encroaching ears forbid the pas
sing Of the horses. His corn ls larger in conse-
quence, and his fields are as clean as floor
when the corn is cut up.
Some of our readers are we'll acquainted with
such facts as these, and our object in making
these remarks is not 50 much to impart what
may be new as to invite distinct and accurate
experiments in relation to the subject, in order
to enforce more thoroughly its Importance
Country Gentleman.