Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-08-18
MULCHING TREES.

IQ6 WeHeIH Lree INHIeT ID puOuSQ6C
in Minnesota. If what it says below il
applicable to Minnesota, its application
to western Kansas is peculiarly forcible
We have studied this subject in western
Kansas, and are prepared to say that
where mulching in this region is practic.
able, it should be followed invariably
Our rainfall is not distributed with suft;-
Gent regularity to insure satisfactory
tree growth without the aid of all arti-
fetal means possible. The failure to rec
ognize and respect this principle lies at
the bottom of the most of the cases OF
loss of trees out here. Its impor-
lance is such as to constitute it the very
basic feature of our civilization. Now
hear what the Tree Planter has to say:
Mulching is natures great plan of
growing trees and all other plants, and
would it not be well for us to learn a
lesson from her grand teaching? What
better plan can man devise than this?
WHAT DOES MULCHING DO?
In the first place mulching holds nearly
all the moisture in the ground, and not
only keeps the soil mellow, but will make
it mellow. Every one who has lifted up a
board that has been lying fiat upon the
ground has noticed that although the soil
all around it may be perfectly dry to a
depth of several inches, directly under
the board it will be damp. The reason
for this is that there is constant rising
of moisture from the ground, and the
board has prevented its escape. Leaf
mould will accomplish this end; SO also
will loose straw and refuse from the wood
pile. Every nurseryman in the world
tells you to mulch your trees; but oh, how
sad it is to think of how few ever follow
this, the best of all tree-planting advice
No better advice could possibly be given,
and if it had only been followed millions
of live, thrifty trees would be standing
where few scrubby stumps and vacant
spaces remain to tell the story of neglect
duty. Cannot this oft repeated advice be
used in our tree claims to good advantage?
Yes, most decidedly yes.
The writer's attention, while in Dakota
last fall, was most forcibly called to this
subject, and his opinion thoroughly
verified, by gentleman whose name has
unfortunately been forgotten. His ex-
perience 80 forcibly proved the truth in
the method that we give it in detail.
He had carefully tried the following
plan, Experimenting he called it) and
was most highly gratified with the result
obtained. He had planted five acres of
small trees on his claim in the usual
manner, and upon a portion of this he
distributed from eight inches to foot of
straw. He then went along the rows and
arranged the straw 80 that it lay up
nicely around each tree and thoroughly
covered the ground. The balance of the
five acres was planted in the same
manner, but instead of being mulched
was fairly cultivated 80 that the weeds
we're kept down and the soil made mellow.
The result on the latter was fair growth
and with but q moderate loss of trees.
Upon the portion which received the
muching of straw he obtained q much
larger, ranker and healthier growth of
wood, and the loss of trees was too small
to mention. Nothing in the way of advice
would ever make him change his opinion
that he had solved the problem of success
ful tree planting, and so decidedly success
ful had his plan proved with him thst
be was recommending it to all who were
interested in the subject. The principle
according to natures methods was most
correct as the soil was kept
moist and mellow-the two things that
all other methods aim to accomplish.