The Republican journal., 1900-05-10
LESSONS IN HORTICULTURE.
PrOfs. GOwell and MonsOn Hold Interesting
Meetings in NOrthport.

the Wood School House, Northport, was
held under the disadyan tage of very uncer-
tain weather. 1t was stormy early in the
morning of both days, Friday and SATURDAY.,
May 4th and 5th, followed by alternating
rain, drizze and sunshine, which kept those
who would have attended in state of I'M
certainty as to whether OF not to go. In
fact, one of the advertised speakers, Mr..
Chas. S. Pope of Manchester, failed to an
pear. Those who attended were amply re-
paid by the information and instruction re-
ceived.
The opening feature of each session was a
new one in agricultural meetings in this sec
ton, and is called lesson in observation.
These lessons were given by Prof. w. NJ
Munson of Orono, President of the Pomolo-
gical Society. The lessons were given from
the natural objects, from color charts and
black board drawings. Each point was. in
telligibly explained. and the hearers were
invited to ask any questions that might oc-
cur to them as the lesson progressed.
Friday forenoon's session opened with an
observation on roots, in which Prof Nun
son showed roots of various kinds, and bv
dissection and drawing explained and illus
trated their structure and functions, Roots
are without joints or leaves, while stems are
invariably jointed Roots are constructed
so as best to resist a pulling force and thus
hold the plant firmly in the earth. The roots
provide the plant with nourishment from
the earth, and some families store up such
food for later use. There are also aerial
roots, which serve as supports for climbing
vines, etc. The species of the tree can be
determined from its roots, as can also, in
many instances the variety, as of the differ
ent kinds of apples, In answer to ques-
ton as to root pruning Prof. Munson an
swered that iudcious root pruning is bene-
fetal in preserving the proper balance be-
tween the top and the roots. That the form
of the root is modified by grating is believ-
ed by many, but is yet a disputed point He
also explained the structure of the leaf, and
illustrated it by Il blackboard drawing of a
transverse section of a leaf highly magni-
fed, showing the cells, pores, etc. The flow
of the sap from the roots to the branches,
its return and evaporation, were clearly ex-
planned The roots are prepared by nature
to take up and send into the circulation of
the tree or plant the nutriment in the soil ::
the trunk, limbs and leaves make the use of
it intended by nature, and if man provides
the proper conditions of soil and the correct
balance between root and leaf surface, sue
cess will follow.
81. s
sion with an observation on stems and
leaves. He passed among the audience
newly cut twigs of grey and yellow birch
and willow ana showed the differences in the
bark. The stem is a lointed structure with
a bud at each joint He explained the diff
ference in herbs. shrubs and trees, of the
cellular and iibrouS stems. and of the mark
ings on the bark. He told of the different
forms and veining of leaves and of the uses
of the various parts. His illustrations of
the compound leaf. as in the cedar, pine and
others. We're very interesting. \ question
was asked as to supply ing a tree with iron,
where a lack of that ingredient exists, to
which the professor replied thar the prac-
tice of driving nails into trees for that pur-
pose is wrong but that if iron was placed
upon OF in the ground at the roots the trees
would absorb what it needed and no more
Prof. q. NJ. Gowell spoke interestingly on
drainage and tillage, giving many valuable
points. Contrary to the generally received
idea, drained land viii stand "a Grouth bet
ter than undraneG. Drained land is warm
Ell than undrained, as an excess of moisture
keeps the land cold. Plants cannot thrive
in water and all the soil that can be used to
advantage is that aboye the water After
natural or artificial drainage the air is
drawn in and warns it. The air brings free
nitrogen into the soil, AN ingredient which
costs IA cents per pound when bought in the
commercial fertilizers The surface must
be worked and drained to best hold and
give to the growing plants their proper
food. He spoke of his first experience in
draining, when boy Oh his fathers farm
1t probably cost as much as the land would
sell for afterward, but it paid in the in
crease of crops. In New England, and
especially in Maine, we are not working on
worn-out land Our land can be made fer
tile by drainage and cultivation. He would
lay drains b feet deep, 10 feet apart ON
small fields would use 2-inch tiles, but on
larger ones would use 3l or 4-inch mains,
with l.. or 2-inch branches. This would re-
quire So rods of tile per acre, costing about
So. The increased cost of digging ditch
large enough to lay a stone drain, over a
ditch for tile, would more than make up for
the cost of tile pipe. In laying tile pipe he
folds tarred paper above the joints to keep
the earth from entering Water enters the
pipes through the joints and not through
the substance of the tile. In changing the
grade sharp angles should be avoided, as
dirt collects at such angles and is liable to
clog the pipe. An incline of 3 inches III l00feet
will run the wafer Off Small pipe is pre-
ferable to large as it allows a deeper stream
with the same amount of water. He de
scrbed the digging of drain trenches by
machinery as practced in the west, where
one machine, with three men and four
horses viii dig mile of trench 3 feet deep
per day. While plants do not thrive in wa
ter a certain amount of moisture is neceS-
sary to check evaporation, but it cannot
wholly prevent it, Keeping the surface
stirred keeps the moisture in the soil The