The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1894-06-29

thC tiCCo diiu III llc SdIIic tIiuc StL tuct
into bearing as soon as possible. Man,
experiments have been made TO accom-
plish this result, and so far there has beef
but one plan that has been successful ant
given hardy growth Of the tree and a
the same time brought the trees into early
bearing and not at the expense of thei
vitality and longevity.
The nature Of trees aud vegetables indi
cate. that the cultivation Of the soil is the
main road to success. In England ant
other European countries the farmers who
are raising root crops, cultivate the sol
to depth of upwards of two feet anG
with a greater return of crop than OF
land not SO cultivated. The object in do
ing this is to loosen the soil so it will hold
the moisture for a longer period, thereby
giving the roots a deeper and longer
growth.
The fact is known by most farmers, but
they nave found it far too expensive in
the raising of grain. Now, as a single
fruit tree will often bring as large if moi
larger return than a single acre of grain,
a man can spend as much labor upon one
tree as upon one acre with the same results.
All trees send their roots after moisture
as we often see by examining tree on
the bank Of a stream where the roots will
be seen running down to the water or to
the moist land at the waters edge. Some
trees will send roots upward of one hun
dred feet to reach moisture. We can thus
see that 10 give a tree sufficient amount
of moisture we must use artificial means
where there is not a water supply for the
roots TO reach.
By loosening the ground to Il depth of
eight or ten feet this result has been OBJ
tanned and a most wonderful growth has
been made. This can be done by the use
Of dynamite. We have records where
trees thus treated have made growth of
three and four times that of trees not so
treated. The dynamite will loosen the
ground to depth of eight or ten feet,
thereby holding the moisture for much
longer period and loosening the soil SO the
roots will have a mellow soil to push
through and get the material in the soil
necessary for their growth. Nearly all
the soil in the arid region forms sort of
har' pan in the dry season. This pan is
broken up by the dynamite so as to offer
no resistance to the tree roots in their lat
eral growth.
In such trees apples, pears, walnuts, Pc
cans and olives gain of two to five years
in growth has been obtained in this man
ner, and the bearing Of the trees made
correspondiugly earlier. So thus it is pos
sible to get trees that formely did not bear
for six and eight years to bear in four or
five. The use of dynamite has passed the
experimental period and is now used al
most universally in some localities, with
the best of results.
Dynamite can be handled with perfect
safety, and the total expense to prepare an
acre Of ground for trees in this way is
very small, in fact, not as much as it is in
planting where the ground is otherwise
pulYerized. The kind to use is 30 per cent
grade, which is considered strong enough
for nearly all land. Use one-half pound
for each charge.
In preparing the charge, take fuse six
feet long and on one end attach fulmina.
ting cap. First make a hole in one end of
the stick of dynimite with some small stick
or pencil will do; in this hole place the cap,
and with a string tie the fuse and cap firm
~ to the dynimite stick, to hold the cap
and fuse in place.
10 prepare the ground for the charge,
take crowbar or 2-inch augur with a Z.
foot shank and make hole in the ground
six feet deep. Then place the dynamite
stick with the fuse and cap attached
in the bottom of the hole, and
run in sand until full. If no sand
can be had any soil will do if tamped quite
hard with a wooden stick. The charge
will loosen the ground some distance be-
low the bottom Of the hole and for many
feet on all sides of the hole. There is lit
tie or no danger from the explosion as the
ground only heaves little bit and no soil
or rocks are thrown up. The ground will
tremble for Is or 20 feet away.
After the dynimite has exploded take a
shovel and dig hole two feet square and
of the same depth, filling in the excava-
ton with surface mold and some fertilizer
that will aid the tree growth and assist in
holding the moisture about the roots. The
water from the ditch will 60 as far down
As the dynimite has loosened the soil and
will retain there until it is used by the
roots or evaporates. The evaporation can
be held in check by thorough and fire.
quent pulverizing of the surface soil. As
the tree roots go down IN this loose soil