The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-08-02
Mulching. Surface Manuring and Glover

"a Subscriber" in Mitiiin county, pro
pounds the following questions, and asks
for answers through the Weekly Times.
of mulch is spread over the ground in
the fall and remains during the winter. it |
will greatly increase the corn crop the next
season, even if there is no fertilizing mater
ial in the covering. This has been tried
But again II is supposed to benefit the land
to plow it up in the fall and have it lie
exposed during the winter. How do you
reconcile the two extremes"
We are by no means certain that u mulch
with mo fertilizing qualities" will have
the effect named by our correspondent -
Even straw and corn fodder contains no
small amount of fertilizing material The
fact that old hay thus applied will produce
much greater effect than straw, proves that
at least Il portion of the action is due to its
fertilizing material washed into the soil by
rain. There are three ways in which We
may improve our snil-hy the direct APP
plication ofmanure; by rendering the plant
| food, ALREADY present, more available, for
/ the wants Of the plant. and by improving
the mechanical division of the soil. Man
ures produce their effect by the first cause;
plowing in the fall and leaving the rough
soil exposed all winter, produces its effect
through the second cause; and il has heen
claimed, but not proven, that mulch i'm
proves the mechanical state of the soil,
makes it more easily penetrated by the air,
prevents evaporation from the surface -
The action of the first in fall plowing sub
divides the soil and exposure to the atmos-
phere renuers the plant food available;
mulching prevents the loss of moisture
and It's action, when no fertiliZin9 meterial
is added, can only be mechanical.
"What is your opinion concerning apply
ing manure on the surface or plowiug ii
under? Is not greater paSt oft often lost
by the former method?'
Practice seems to prove that such los;
does not take place. Many of our best far
mers apply their manure to the sod The
, year before they plow for corn, and The
!, result proves that such loss does not tak'
! place, or if it does. that it Is quite counter
banlanced by the benefit OF the mulch
, We have more than once tried the plans ol
5 our wheat, and have yet 20 note any etec
, proving a loss from surface manurlng TO
this crop, except a greatly increased dam
age from fly. On hilly ground when tn
soil is frozen, no doubt there will be los
from washing, hut on level ground hi
A does not take place. We always apply tn
o manure for wheat, and cannot apply it as
top dressing without cutting the field u
t with wheel tracks. In one or two cases no
: having manure enough at seeding time W
u have top-dressed a small portion during tn
a winter as the manure was formed in tn
: yard, but finding 1t to greatly increase tn
:. damage from the fly, we have given up tn
d plan, and supply the deficiency with a
n artificial fertilizer
o 81 have difficulty in getting clover t
= catch when sown in hard ground in til
spring. How would it do to SOW in the fal
n or SOW and harrow in the spring."
d Tn Eastern Pennsylvania we SOW gras:
e seed with the wheat; the timothy with th
wheat in the fall and the clover in tn
spring. To harrow the latter it woul
IS kill the timothy. 1t is best to SOW Glove
e very early so that 1t can get good stal
e before summer droughts come on, or els
s not SOW it until late or after the DANCE
. from them is over. We have known th
L best kind of "catch" to be secured by SOW
IS ing the clover after the wheat was harves
:. ed As soon as the fret is out of tn
ground in the spring the soil is in fin
a mellow condition, and if no timothy wa
sown we would prefer TO harrow before SOW
ing the clover The wheat will not
hurt bv it--in fact, will be improved thel
n by.
e The other questions asked by our corre
~ pondent will be answered hereafter.