Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1899-09-07
FARM AND GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO
AoRlCULTURlSTs.
Some Up-to-DAte Hints About Cul-
tlvation of tho Soil and Yields
Observation-Disclosures, vitlOulturO aud
Horticulture.
MnIohInH Tracn.

Mulching Trocs.
CONDENSED from Farmers Review
Btenogrnphic Report OF Northern Illinois
horticultural Conventlon)
Mr.. Frlend.-I don't believe strong
mulching Is worth anything unless you
have rain enough to keep II moist be-
low. The air can escape through the
mulchlng and the ground cracks open
md gets Just as dry below the mulchinG
as II could get where there is no mulch
Ing, I have u place on my farm that l
call the bad acre" When nursery
man sends me a tree that Is not true
to name plant II on that bad acre.
Among others | have a little apple
tree near where throw the barnyard
manure. This little tree through the
summer had from four to eight Inches
of dry manure all around 1t, close to 1t,
80 II would serve as mulching II mulch
Ing was any good, | have dug that
away after the season was over ana
found the ground cracked open. Such
mulch may keep the smaller rains
from going down to the roots ana IN
that case II doesn't help the tree bit.
am confirmed In the notion that such
mulchlng as would be applied by tho
farmer is of little value | believe that
the only mulch that Is worth anything
IL to harrow and dig up the ground
Mr.. Hoxle.--Mr. Bailey is credited
with saying, III you have n watering
pot, throw 1t away" This gentleman
believes In stirring the soil.
DR.. Humphrey,-There is a differ
ence between mulching all over your
farm and a little local mulch around
trees. Nature makes mulch In the
forest by the leaves. Nature mulches
your strawberry bed with leaves In the
winter. mulch my apple trees, but
Just mulch them with the potato vines
grown In my orchard. commence
digging the last OF June or the first OF
July and invariably put the tops OF
my potatoes around the trees. II Is a
little local affair and II isn't mulching
the whole ground, l have never found
that 1t did a particle Of harm, but
believe 1t has always done good, ana
the trees have flourlshed under q little
mulchlng OF that kind. / am sure II
holds moisture because l have exam
ined many times. A little mulch
around individual trees OF nearly every
sort | believe to be a good thing ana
30 far as know makes a thrifty ana
long-lived growth. l never had but
one calamity. undertook to feed the
catalpa as would feed the cherry and
apple, and the trees nearly died. l
dwarfed them so they never amounted
to anything.
Mr.. Morgan.-I do not believe IN
mulching trees. do not care to use II
on anything but asparagus beds and
pie plant. While on the farm always
mulched my pie plant heavily with
horse manure.
Q.-At what time?
Mr.. Morgan.--Tn the fall. / always
did, and always had the largest mn
est kind Of pie plant and asparagus.
Mr.. Clybourn.--on my place In
southern Illinois raise peaches. One
Of my nelghbors raises the same sort
of peaches that do, but mine were far
superior to his this summer, and the
reason was that had the ground cul-
tIvated between the trees and the fruit
proved to be larger and far superior.
Mr.. Hartwell.--I want to endorse
Mr.. Morgan. This mulching for saw
ing labor is a delusion and a snare
You cannot save labor by mulching'
Your mulchlng don't hold the moist
ure as the cultlvatlng will.