The National tribune., 1881-12-31

Sssenty years or more, J. j. Thomas, associate
editor Of the Cexstrg G3tleman, has been sssatal-
GEg IN his efforts to show the absurdny otitry1Dg
to feed trees by ssiing manure around saaelrssems,
anGyTet the cust@ea prevails in quartess where 1t
wouif not be expected. In thoughtfrlliy pre-
Raret! paper which Mr.. Thomas read SetoFe the
Association for the Promotion of Agricultural
Science, at it's meetiGg Lately held at G1einnah,
he nefaered to the aammeI method OF applying
fertilisocs, by placing them in the hills with the
seeds, as being very iaaperfecs, and lkened the
proceeding to that of aplying food to the feet OF
animals ,t1stead of theis anouths- In number
of examinations which he had made as to the
distance nc which some Of the common farm crops
throw out deir roots during the earlier stages OF
their growth. he found tk2t corI plants, when
ONLY three or four weeks old and five inches high
had thrown oat roots foot Sp each side from the
base of the stalks, and that when tahe corn had
reached the height of one foot, the rosts had met
between the opYoste rows, although the plants
had not attained one-eighth OF their ultimate
ileight. or q tenth of their full bulk or weight.
kean plants four weeks old had extended their
asTres foot aud half or made circle thIne feet
in diameter and the small fbrous roots Of the
totato had extended over the whole area OF the
soil Esefore the tubers were formed had reached
any size. Upon the diree application OF fertilizers
he has the following remarks:
I'm all the experiments of which I have had
personal knowledge, when superphosphates and
other special compounds have been applied to
corn In the HILL the growth of the plants for few
weeks has been visibly increased; but all this
advantage has been subsequently lost and no
final addition to the amount of the crop has been
gained from the practice. The reason appears to
be obvious. The sx-inch circle in the hill, which
has been enriched by the fertilizer is not fftieth
part of the whole area which the roots extend
during the later stages of growth On the con-
trary, when the space between the rows has
received it's portion of the fertilizers through the
tubes of the grain drill employed in planting the
corn, positive benefit has resulted to the crop
The same advantage would be derived from
broadcast application.
In connection with the subject, it may be well
to allude to the extension of the roots of fruit
and ornamental trees rule adopted by old
writers, gave the length Of the roots as equal to
the length of the branches above. 1t is safe to
say that this rule does not indicate generally more
than a tenth of the ground which the entire roots
really occupy. Many years ago, made an ex-
pertinent on row of peach trees planted in grass
and within a few feet of each other They had
been set three Or four years and were eight nine
feet high. Within few feet of one end of the
row, the ground was made very rich with heap
of manure It's stimulating effect on the nearest
tree was such that the shoots made in one season
were two feet and a half long. The tree which
c4ra fnotf no mad
shoots fifteen inches long, and at eleven feet
distance the shoots grew seven Or eight inches.
At fifteen feet no perceptible effect of the manure
was visible, the growth not exceeding three
inches. The experiment showed that decided
benefit was gained to the tree at eleven feet
distance through the few roots one side, and
that the roots formed a radiating circle at least
% feet in diameter. The absurdity of the prac-
tice of applying small heap of manure at the
base of the trunk of tree is obvious"
PARIS TREEs.-The following is from recent |
notice of the trees on the streets and boulevards
of the city of Paris, France "The only trees
which seem to weather all the bad influences of
Partisan climate are the Ailantus, or japanese |
varnish trees their appearance on the boulevards
is conspicuous ny Splcuulu DIS StOut
and lofty as that Of walnut trees; their numer- |
Gus branches, covered with light green leaves, |
render them one of the most pleasing ornaments |
of public gardens With the Ailantus, which |
will before long become the only species used in
large towns, there is also the Judas tree, which |
produces magnificent effect with its brilliant |
red flowers, thick and dark green foliage. There !
is also the Triacanthos, OF thorn tree, which at
tains height of Is metres, and is well fit for
bordering avenues A bunch of thorns shoots out |
from its centre, and it is used in America to pro-
tect fields and orchards; planted close together
they form an impenetrable fence. This tree has
long been considered having supplied the
thorns with which the crown of Christ was
made"
Remarks on the db0ce.-It is interesting to
note that the Ailantus tree, which finds SO much
favor in Paris, is being condemned as street tree
in our cities When it was first brought into
prominent notice in this country, about forty |
years ago. it was largely planted and much ad-
mi1ed for the oriental appearance of its massive
foliage, and especially for its rapid growth, even
on poor soils. The disagreeable, heavy odor of
its flowers is specially Objectionable and sicken-
ing to many persons, and health officers have been
called upon to condemn it as public
nuisance; its propensity to throw up suckers
from its far-reachng roots, is also against its