The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1882-01-18
Msnurinr Trees i'm Sod.

Manuring Trees In Sod.
No one will deny the desirablenessi
of having an orchard in grass, whether
for bay, pasture, or clipped as lawn
The objection that grass is hurtful to-
trees is true only in case OF a lack Of
fertility, especially as two crops are to-
be crown. and where one is so exhaust
i've IS trees. But there Is also the adj
vantage here that two important crops
may be grown together without inter-
fering, the roots Of the one underlying
the other, and the one treatment serv-l
ing for both. There is double ad-
vantage which it seems to me is not
sufficiently understood, especially the
extent to which the benefit may be car
ried, and this with minimum amount
of labor-simply the application of ma
nufe, yearly or biennially, as the case
may be, different soils requiring differ
ent treatment. A light soil requires an
nual applications, and light rather than
heavy. to prevent loss by teaching.
Clay win bear heavier applications, and
once in two years, which viii be sufi-
cient for q continuous growth, pretty
well kept up. Here both grass and
trees are benefited by the one opera
ton Where the ground is deep and
rich little manure Is needed. On shall
low soils, where the roots lie near the
surface, mingling with the grass roots,
manure is the most required, and in
quantities which must be understood so
as to avoid an excess of, wood growth.
and secure full crop of fruit. Prac-
tice for q few years viii determine this.
The same treatment viii keep the grass
at full growth.
As to the time of applying the manure,
Ihave found late autumn the best, as it
gives chance for the strength to get
down to the :rootsof the trees by spring,
thus benefting trees and grass at the
same tina. The manure will also soon
be, lost 10 sight in spring If applied in
the fall, the snow and the rains packing
it close to the ground. 1t will there
serve as q mulch, aided by the shade of
the grass and the trees, and so effect
ually as to insure success even ON q
light, sandy soil, unless drought is un-
usually severe. The past season afforded
q good chance for testing this, and
wherever sufficient manure was used, in
lawns as well as in orchards, the
drought had comparatively little effect
on trees, and as little upon the grass as
compared with that of the fields, except
in some cases Immediately around the
trees, and that is readily accounted for
by the small quantity of soil held be-
tween the large roots, hurting only the
grass for short space, not the trees.
Orchard grass, as / noticed in a few
dooryards, shaded by trees, kept up q
continued yerdure during all the heat
and drought, being sustained by
manure. In my lawn have met with
the most gratifying results from manure
upon grass treated two young elms
OF few years growth, the one in grass
to liquid manure late in the fall, the
other to horse dung and compost, in
connection with cultivation and mulch
ing during the season. The growth
was alike In both cases, and for. the
very good reason that it had reached its
maximum in each, and it was continued
till into October in. defiance of the
frost which was severe. The young
shoots of each attained length of from
FIVE to seven feet. The grass continued
green and vigorous, with oc occasional
slight discoloration, throughout the sea-
son, thickening with the moist fall
weather. Other trees were similarly
affected according to the amount of ma
nure given. II is true that cultivation
and malehing are an aid, in that less
manure is required, and may do where
an orchard or lawn is started. When
established and kept in grass, manure
will do the work perfectly and, with a
profit (in an orchard) from grass and
fruit that can be realized perhaps from
no equal amount of land by any other
mode of cropping.
The sod-bound character of the soil is
sometimes objected to as preventing
free access, of air. This may be the
case, to some extent, with compact
clay if kept in this condition, the soil,
and not the sod, being at fault. In a
soil with free drainage little or no harm
can result from this cause. Among the
best orchards know are some that have
been always in sod, . being in rich soil
and deep-decidedly the best of all soils
for an orchard. If shallow. they need
manure, especially if the grass is kept
for hay. II pastured with sheep or hogs,
less manure is required, and in deep,
rich soil none at all, if the trees are kept
properly pruned and open to air, which
lessons the need of manure. With some
productive sorts, higher results might
be ebtained with the addition of ma
nure, though of this 1 cannot speak pos
itively, as the highest success have
ever known, which thought could not
be surpassed, was on deep, rich and
highly-drained soil, an old alluvial de-
posit. .s'-
We thus have it in our power to keep
our orchards and lawns green, fresh
and thrifty, and the orchards produc-
tive, whatever the seasons may be. The
grass. so far as my experience and OBJ
servation GO, will serve as test. If
that is thick and thrifty, it is an assur-
| ance that the trees also are well pro-
yided for, where the roots are near the
surface, as in the case of my lawn,
where they come in Immediate contact
with the manure, in common with the
grass. and also in the deeper soil, where
they find nourishment as they extend,
in measure independently of what
! they got from the surface. The same
applies to leachy soil, as may be seen in
any sandy district, the grass requiring
to be fed more often, the trees as well
as the grass being almost entirely de-
pendent upon this mode of support
| Cor. Country Gentleman.
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