Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-01-22
NuIchino,
IN THE WINTER AND SUMNER.

The two are important in different ways
We mulch in summer, to keep off the sun
in winter, the cold-showing that the grount
must have protection-of which, however, i
gets but little. take farms as they run
The snow Is trusted to the only protection
and 1T protects the ground to certain ex
tent 1t is well that it does, or our negligen
farmers would be worse off still
! We mulch also to protect from the rain
which, in the fall and spring, washes tn,
land; but will do it less where there is onl,
a mulch Of straw. Grain or grass itself i,
the best protection here. 1t fastens itsel
and holds the soil. Manure is better thar
straw-and is, all things considered, the bes
mulch known among farmers. 1t adds fer
tility, which adds the growth, and thu.
doubles the beneft-the one mulch helpins
in the production of the other. 1t is also 3
better guard against the cold, the winds and
the still frost against the thawing and freez
ing-against everything. 1t warns the
ground more than any other coating, without
smOthering or rotting the crop, as in the case
of snow, when it is heavy. But, in order to
avoid the latter, it must be put on properly
the coat must be made to ft-hug the ground
closely, SO as to become part of it, the roots
forming it To this end 1t must be applied
uniformly, and in pulverized condition
l. is the farmers best means not only to pre-
serve a crop, but to grow it. 1t is making
and enriching soil at the same time. All
this has recommended itself so forciblv, that
we see our best farmers engaged in it. TOP
dressing is now the rage, (and with reason)
manure being preferred to every other fertil-
izer- 1t is preferred because it makes soil,
and not stimulates it alone, with no after
benefit.
On meadows, manure should be applied
early enough IN the fall to get start of grass,
which the strength of manure will aid--roots,
grass and manure forming protection that
has not yet been surpassed. We have never
known it to fail in decently drained soil.
But keep off all manure In Jumps, this is
hurtful instead of beneficial. Long manure
is better than straw, perhaps but nothing
is so exactly good as good cost of well rot
ted manure except compost made of muck
or soil and manure. This, in effect, is max
ing ground rich, and applying it. We are
tired of straw, especially when it SO
readily, and with much more benefit be made
into a true coat of manure.
Evergreen brush will act as a safe mulch
and may be used where choice plats are to
be preserved, and it is not desirable to apply
manure. This viii protect from cold and
from washing. to a good extent. But it must
be removed, and is mere mechanical con
trivance. For berries. this is excellent
So much for winter--and fine thing it is
to consider ito protect the ground as one
would horse, or flock of sheep, by roofing
them over.
But there is the sun in summer--often
more injurious than the cold of winter. There
are also, the freshets blowing our fields.
Against these the farmer must provide. But
it is not so easy always to do this. The soil
must be left after sowing exposed to rains,
and there is nothing to prevent its being car
RED away. \ coat OF manure will help it,
but not much if narrowed in (as it should
beg still less 1t must be left exposed-as it
is-and the farmer must run his risk But
our orchards, our vineyards, our small fruit
plants, and most of all, our meadows can be
protected, not only against washing, Ito a
great cxtent) but the sun. A word will
despatch the rneadow-the winter mulch will
answer for the summer the winter coat is
Kept on, and will answer for the summer
without any more application, showing how
much there is in an application of manure on
meadows in the fall it is the one stone that
kills all the birds.
Blackberries flourish under the cover of
long manure Strawberries need a coat with
out fertility-only to hide from the sun, and
keep clean the fruit. A white coat is best
for this and bright straw (cut) at that. We
prefer II IN a not season OF nOC Climate,
any other. Apply before the fruiting time.
Previous 10 that the ground will want to be
stirred. The best way is to apply immedi
ately after shower if that can be done-the
coat thus keeping the ground moist longer.
In orchards we use almost any mulch. The
trees, if old, shade the ground sufficient to
prevent the sun from hurting it much. Straw
is used, tan bark. sawdust and leaves. Leaves
are an excellent general mulch, for some
fruits best of alias raspberries, grapes, etc
Their manurial properties here are valuable.
We do not use leaves enough. They seem
useless, but it is all in the seeming. Gath
cred and put in the compost heap, or worked
into the soil, there is much virtue-and it is
of the right kind. But it must be done as
soon as the leaves are dropped, when the
strength is all in them. Thus the forest gets
the benefit of the leaves instead of our fields.
But it gets only part. much in the decaying
process is lost, which the farmer would save
Mellow soil itself is good mulch---in 9th
er words mellowing the ground, as is SO much
insisted upon, and with the best of reason
1t is not only good to have a mellow top soil,
but mellow soil throughout, so as to enable
the ground to breathe-which, il itself, is
cooling process-exhaling moisture from the
depths, and taking it in at the surface-or
rather, passing through the surface, impair
ting moisture and fertility. But all soils will
not do this equally alike. Clay will do it
largely, as we have the best reasons for know
ing, having an attract on for the gases, but 1t
is less porous than sand it therefore, needs
poiiev Farmer.