The Florida agriculturist., 1881-05-25
MuIching Orange Trees.
N. in florida Union.

of summer culture is an outgroWth
of the 0no>culture" theory referred
to bv the writer in your issue OF the
Stn inst; or perhaps, more properly
speaking, both have resulted from
the general belief that orange trees
need something besides high culture;
especially in summer. OF the two
methods, mulching gives the best re,
suits, and is being largely adopted
throughout the State. Dry grass or
weeds, pine needles or other forest
leaves make good mulch. Any veg
etable substance will do not contain
ing wood fiber; the latter breeds in
sects, especially "wood hce," which
are liable to girdle the trees. The
simplest and least expensive method
of application is to spread upon the
surface around each tree after they
have been worked in the spring. 1t
should be placed outside the radius
of the branches, leaving the earth
Immediately about the trunk uncov'
cred, to prevent harboring insects,
etc. Two cart loads to the tree is
sufficient; where the trees are small
or medium sized, this will cover
about one-third the surface of ground
to the depth of several inches. 1t
should be deep enough to prevent The
growth of weeds and grass. The
remaining space, where the roots do
not extend beyond the mulchlng, can
be allowed to go uncultlvated; the
growth being used as fertilizer, or
when mature, added to the mulch.
The better way is to plant with cow
peas or other crop, and either put IN
TO the soil green or cut to tertlIlze
the trees. In the spring OF 1879
large grower near Paiatka, whose
trees were upon poor land and not
doing well, determined TO try mulch
ing OH a large scale. He covered
the entire surface OF the ground be,
tween the trees with pine straw aud
wire grass several inches deep. AS
the trees were large 1t required but
two cart-loads to The tree, for which
he paid, for cutting and hauling, 20
cents per load. The effect was mar
velous. At the expiration OF a year
the trees, which year previous were
yellow, and whose tender twigs were
diving from poverty OF soil. were
now dark, green, healthy and Vlgor-
GUS. The grove was marked Tor It's
,,srol thrift That thi. resulted from
the mulcbing, was shown by the fact !
that few rows where 1t was not ap'
nlied remained yellow and sickly-
The contrast being so striking as to
he observable as tar as the eye could
reach. The latter, on being subse-
quently mulched, soon acquired
healthful appearance-unltorm with
the rest of the grove. TIE soil has
not been stirred since its application
and for two years the muIcnlng mas
kept down all growth, rendering cul-
ture unnecessary.
It NAV be remarked just here, that
j, will not do to plow deeply after
the mulch has been put upon the
Ground for any length OF time, as 1t
tends to encourage the formation OF
roots near the surface. The grower
above mentioned is so well pleased
with his experiment that he is pre-
pairing to renew it this spring. ln
order to accomplish it more eftectu'
ally, he has purchased a large tract
OF land, comprising extensive hard
bottom ponds covered with heavy
GRASS; this he proposes to cut with
q moving machine when the ponds
are dry, and use it for mulching his
treps. To cover the entire surface
in young grove, would be more ex-
pensive than in al old grove, where
The branches extend over consider
able area. This is really not neces-
sarv. as the same amount OF mulch
reouired for the larger trees Ii placed
around the young trees Is sH1hcient'
This plan has many advantages over
covering the land with growth OF
any kind during summer. 1t not on
" keeps the soil moist aud cool and
saves cultivating, but also affords an
effective fertilizer to the trees, ana
constantly and permanently enrlches
the land. If it is desired to hasten
decay, light application OF murlate
of potash will aid i'll speedily reduce
ing the vegetable tissue to plant tood
TIE natural process OF decay will,
however, furnish nutriment as fast as
the tree can assimilate it. Mulchlng
is especially valuable upon high,poor
land, where 1t not only tertillzes, but
also protects from the sun and dr0uth'
it is even more so on low heavy land,
4 1ybara the roots. which cannot pene.