The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1881-11-26
iYoR fHR cOMEri
PEAR DLIGHTs, CURICULIA. PHIL.
OXERA.
Tap Roots ana wolI-Augurs.

In looking over agricultural col
umnsw we often read accounts OF blight
ed trees curicula in plum trees, the
borer In peach trees. philoxera among
grape vines, scale insects !" and "die.
back. Ia the orange groves. Ento-
mologists are swift to describe the
nature and habits of these parasites
Their researches and daily discoveries
In that other world, is truly wonderful
to contemplate; and them technical
terms, to the untutored mind, is just
MS clear-as mud. Beyond these
learned disquisiti,ns the cause of all
these disasters has never been reach ed.
The first shock tee receives Is inn
mediately after 1t is planted, when 1t
passes through state of paralysis,
which Is clearly indicated by the
proneness to terminate around the
root. Nature seems to essay shield
to protect tho trunk from the scorch-
Ing rays and the chilling blast be-
sides the boughs point down pleading
ly. This difficulty can be overcome to
a great extent by giving space in the
nursery, and not set as thick as rice. In
some cases, like the peach, it is better
to saw off that "beautiful stemn even
with the ground, and let all the sprouts
grow, and annually thereafter, cut
away every sprout that has an ashy
color.
The next grand shock tree recei yes
is when overtaken by drouth. We
will say 1t has passed through its
struggle from paralysis, leaving signs
of black streaks in the rings of the
woody fibre. BY its new existence of
space, sunlight and cultivation,
plethoric sap undergoes a revulsion. At
this stage the juices sour, superinduc-
ing all the parasites spoken of by en-
t,mologists.
This shrinkage is caused by failure
of the tap-root to descend downward
for moisture, mineral fertilization and
the Utilization that makes up the
magnetic currents. In the prairie
countries tho tap-root curls and forms
into . button, because the earth pre-
sents . sameness for many feet in
depth. In some localities In Florida,
the die-back Ia orange trees traced to
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. concretions lying
near the surface. The scale insect was
evidently formed by the presence of
unfermented vegetable matter.
Agricultural chemistry teaches us
that there are two grand classes of
fertilizers - one vegetable, the o her
mineral. They all err in falling to say
that the vegetable should be ON top,
and the mineral In the bottom. A
mixture Of the two elements is radi-
cally wrong-abnormal. Some writers
60 so far as to state that the prin-
clpal function Of lime Is to neutralize
certain deleterious conditions of the
earth. Tirv conclusion here is ir-
resistible that the lateral roots
hunt vegetable matter, and that
the tree grows pari passu &C.
cording to the fulfilment of these con-
ditlons. There are many farmers who
can recall to mind some conclusive
proof 70 sustain this theory. Even
here is a broad and UNEMPLOYED field
before us-to divide these strata into
commencing on the surface
with natures mulch, and descend In
graduation. To be brief, l would say in
we could greatly facilitate
the growth Of trees and certain shrubs
by the use Of the well-augur, from
about one to two inches In diameter.
FRANCIS A. WOLFF. |