Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-11-22
Fertility From Decaying Leaves.


A great deal of fertilizer is lost every
year by destroying decaying vegetation,
instead of Incorporating it with the soil,
where it will furnish humuS and valu-
able mineral elements, thus greatly in
creasing the fertility of the soil.
The greater part of this decaying vege-
tatiOn is composed of leaves, and we
often see great piles of them being
burned during fall and spring, which
should be spread over the garden. Some
people use the leaves as mulch during
winter, but burn them in the spring.
Instead of this they should be either
forked into the soil around trees and
plants where they will rapidly decay and
be of use to the plants, or be piled in
heap, adding all kinds of refuse from
the garden, wood ashes and little soil,
slops from the house, ETC., and let them
rot in readiness for use as potting soil or
for gardening purposes. 1t is best not
to make the piles too large, as during
some seasons there is tendency to ex-
cessive heating which burns up much OF
the most valuable plant food. The mass
should be forked over occasionally, so
that all parts will be equally affected by
sun, air and rain.
1t is natural to suppose that valuable
elements are contained in the leaves, as
the food of plants and trees taken in
through the roots passes through the
cells with the sap, and when the leaves
fall they become dry, and all the water
being thrown off it leaves only the solid
matter which is almost purely fertilizing
matter that has been taken from the soil.
This then, after serving its purpose,
should be returned to mother earth ex-
actly as it is when the tree is through
with it. When burned and applied to
the soil only ash remains. This is valu-
able in itself, but so much of the plant
food has been destroyed that its value is
greatly diminished.
Nature has made grand provision in
planning to have the leaves fall under
trees and shrubs, not only to protect the
roots during cold winter and hot dry
summers, but 80 the plant food will be
in just the place where it will be needed
again.
In the economy of nature, nothing is
lost, and these elements are used over
and over again. On this account the
soil of groves and wooded tracts does
not become worn out as other land does,
requiring to be heavily fertilized often
to keep the growing crop in good con-
dition, though great growth of timber
is being made all the time. When all
leaves are removed from around the
trees on the lawn in fall, it often causes
great harm, providing a tidy looking
lawn at the expense of the well-being of
the trees.
The leaves lying as they fall form
blanket during winter which will keep
the moisture in the soil around the
roots.
If the weather is very severe, trees
and plants are often killed on account
of the dryness of the roots, the soil
freezing dry, then all the moisture is
drawn from the roots and they are in
no condition to withstand extreme
cold.
The evaporation through the cells of
the tree is, of course, very much less
during the dormant season, yet it goes
on in a small way all winter, so if there
is not enough moisture in the soil to keep
up the supply needed, the trees will Of
ten be killed.-Exchange.