The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1881-01-12

properly taken in hand and renovated,
presto, Richard is himself again. l
may also add, en- PEASANT, that since
my trees have come into bearing, the
bndded fruit, although not of the
latest and best varieties, proves rather
more salable than the produce OF the
seedlings.
DR.. Davis condemns the use of
water in transplanting. Now let any
man work the dirt in, under and
around the little tlbers as closely as
he can, and if the water be poured
on, the earth will settle down an
inch or two, showing that vacancies
exist which cannot be filed IN any
other way. And this calls up the
advice OF an old nurserymen in my
boyhood days, who stenuously in
sisted that the most important point
in setting trees was to ill up every
interstice, however small, about the
roots, and that more trees tailed from
neglect of this precaution than from
any other cause. 1t is so necessary
that the entire surface of the roots of
newly set plants should be in close
contact with the surrounding soil
that gardeners, to make assurance
double sure, often dip them into
thick mixture of clay and water when
taken up. Because the wonderful
vitality Of the orange stock enables
it generally to live without, we surely
should not condemn as detrimental,
practice at once philosophical and
scientific.
After the soil has been moistened
and we'll settled around the roots Of
our newly planted tree, it it can be
kept in that state for few weeks,
young radicles will speedily issue,
and enable it to withstand protracted
drought. And nothing that | know
of will so effectualy attain this end
as mulching, insl what Dr. Daxis.is
I utterly lopposed TO. Under . mulch
the soil, once thoroughly saturated
remains so for many days, even in the
| dryest of weather. Bare sand often
becomes heated to a degree painful
to the touch, but undera covering it
always ieels agreeably cool. Many
condemn matching on the ground
that it brings the roots to the surface,
while at the same time they assidu.
ously recommend spreading muck or
compost, and lightly touching it in
with rake or harrow. What incon-
slstency is this Mulching does in.
deed draw to the surface the slender
rootlets through which the tree sucks
it's nourishment, but these are only
OF temporary use, and, Ike the leaves,
constantly die and grow again. On
the olEer hand, nothing attracts roots
to the surface like manure or muck,
and large roots, too, that cannot be
plowed up or torn Oft without more
or less deteriment TO the tree.
Deposit few bushels of muck,
nay, even a shoveltul, in a pile Oh top
OF the ground under an orange tree,
and III few months it will be matted
with hungry roots, many OF them as
large is ones little tiuger. / have
always nulcned, either partially
or wholly, even bearing trees, and
with the happiest results. The
greatest drawback is the labor of
collecting and hauling, but To Offset
this little alter culture or stirring the
soil in needtul. Inc 1rult is less
liable TO rust, and as the litter decays
il affords the choicest nulrlment 1t
is, in truth, Natures own method,
and where else can we find sHch rich,
glossy foliage. .nd such clean bright
fruit as in t1e wild groves, unvexed
by plow or Noe and carpeted by fallen
leaves In the vegetable kingdom
as in animal, artificial habits OF lite
invite disease and debility. How
can we expect longevity and viyor
from system oi clean cultivation
that eliminates all the precious humus
from the soil, and allows neither
weed nor blade OF grass TO grow
up and decay that removes large
crops OF fruit, and expect to maintain
a, permanent fertility by every year
sprinkiing Il lew quarts of chemical
salts over the ground? And yet
this is the plan advocated and pursued
by many OF our growers.
That the moles and other yermin
harbored Oy mulch are detrimental
To the neaitn ut tree, as DIR. DAVIS