The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-03-07
some ERRONEOUS THEORIES
MULCHING TREES TO KEEP BACK
THE BLOOM.
Winter KiIIing.--FibrOus ROOts--Inverting
Fence Posts --- Freezing
Peach Stones.
By Charles Teubner.

BY Charles Teubner.
There are SO many of these that it
would require. many columns Of the
INTELLIeEScER to contain all, hence
l will try to expose only few Of the
most important ones.
Years ago an article made the
rounds of the Horticultural and Agri-
cultural papers which stated that
mulching a tree heavily with straw
after the soil was frozen to consid-
cradle depth, would prevent the buds
(of peaches for instance) from start
ling early and thus escape late frosts
This sounds so plausible that this
hoary headed fallacy keeps bobbing
up persistently with each recurring
winter. The fact is that mulch will
not retard the flow of sap when the
top of the tree is exposed to the sun
and warm atmosphere. A sugar
maple tapped 10 February or March
after few days of mild weather
yields a flow Of sap, although the soil
may be frozen. II branch Of run
ming rose or vine, growing under a
window is trained through hole
into warm room, it will bud and
come out in leaf, although its rooUs
are in frozen soil A root may be
surrounded by frozen soil and yet not
be frozen.
We hear much about winter killing
OF plants and trees. But as a rule il
is a preceding drouth which is the
primary cause. After q moist sum
mer and fall trees and plants are able
toendure amuch greater degree o.
/ colo than after dry summer anC
fall. Just as well fed cattle survive
blizzard which proves fatal to hal
starved ores.
\
Trees with mass Of fibrous root
are by many considered superior t.
those with stronger roots but fine
fibers. But they are mistaken 4
tree with a great mass of fitrous root
should be deprived Of part of them
or it will be difficult to work sol
among them and In consequence the,
will be smothered by their own den
sity.
y, / see some farmers In settin
fence posts place them upside down
They claim that the posts last longe
because the pores Of the wood bein
inverted cannot be entered by water
it can and does. Sap 10 most
not all trees and plants flows In eitt
er direction. Take a short piece {
grapevine or other porous wood an
yon can blow air or water through
from either end. 1t makes littl
difference which end Of willow Gu
ting is stuck into the earth Wit
grapes, raspberries aud other plant
easily reproduced from cuttings
layers the flow Of sap can be reversed
The old theory that wheat SOM
times turns into chess or cheat stl
has many adherents. More's Il
pity, when it can SO easily be di
proved. Dig up plant carefull
wash off all soil and you will find Il
hull Of the seed, plainly showing th'
it was a grain Of chess and not whea
Stools apparently consisting of bot
chess and wheat can be separated ar
the seed Of each identified.
The theory that peach and 9th
stone fruit seeds must go through
freezing progress to insure sproutil
is also erroneous 1t is the moistu
in the soil that dissolves the gu
which binds the two halves Of pea
seed and SO allows the germ
emerge. Frost has nothing to
with it. The peach is said to ha
originated in Persia and its seeds W
sprout in climates where frost neV
touches the seed. (To be continues
oef 4 60