The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1904-06-18

layer Of soil called "humus," which
not only furnished all the necessary
plant food, but absorbed and retained
moisture, admitted air and warmth,
provided sub-drainage and prevented |
the surface from compacting better
than the surface soil we now have. |
Another perhaps more important one
is the shifting and distribution Of the |
rainfall. The rainfall averages about
the same now as then, but the dis
tributiOn In my opinion is not the
same In my boyhood days we fished
with net and line in our branch,
which contained large Swimming
hole" and spring running the year
round The hills were then mostly
covered with timber and a heavy
underprowth of brush. Leaves lay in
places a foot in depth and beneath
them a loose, deep humus, the re-
mains of rotted leaves and limbs
which had drobped for centuries. No
grass sod to hungrily drink in the
rains or run them off This humus
allowed the ram to sink rapidly into
the soil. The layer of leaves pre-
vented rapid evaporation, so that
there was continual instead of
Intermittent evaporation and a steady
underground flow Of water issuing as
springs throughout the year, cooling
and moistening the atmosphere and
producing more frequent rains. In
time the forests and underground
were cleared away, the soil ploWed,
humus washed away, grass sod appear
ed 10 woods grazed by cattle, which
also compacted the soil, so when
heavy rains now occur the plowed
soil and sod shed most of the water
and it rushes off carrying with it the
best Of the soil, allowing only scant
supply Of water TO enter the soil to
feed wells and springs. Now when
it rainsit pours during the first months
OF summer and later, the water hav-
ing rushed off, our branches and
springs dry up, the lack Of moisture
causing hot winds and drouthS during
the latter part OF summer. This
cuts both ways, like a two edged
sword. The wet cool weather in May
and June prevents perfect pollination
or causes the fruit TO drop, and blight
and root rot follow 10 its wake. The
drought later on allows hordes OF
injurious insects full sway to multiply
and injure the fruit, aud the drouth
itself yeakens plants and trees,
causing winter-kiiling Of buds and
often of plants and trees. All fruit
growers know that peach buds can
endure much lower temperature
some years than than in others l
have known them to be killed at
temperatures ranging from II to 25 de-.
grees below zero. After dry summer
and fall peach buds cannot endure as
low temperature as after wet one
Peach trees should be cultivated,
the limbs cut back frequently and the
fruit thinned. All these things COM
bined give vigor, sap and consequent
hardness. The hardness of buds in
different varieties varies also. Ia our
old peach orchard there was one
seeding which had sprouted from the
roots OF decayed budded tree One
year it was the only tree which bore a
full crop of fruit. Boy like it attract
ed my attention and puzzled me. |
noticed its large petaled blossoms
and found that most of the budded
varieties had small petals. | came tC
the conclusion that the large petals
which. on disSectlng bud, | found
curled and folded around and over the
embryo peach, formed a thicker coat,
ing than the small petals of budded
varieties and therefore protected it
more from cold and sudden thawing.
Since then noticed that our hardest
budded varieties such as Hales Early,
Early Louise, E. Rivers, Amsden,
Ark. Traveller, E. York, Mamie Ross,
, and Others have large petals, while
the tender varieties like Elberta,
Henrietta, Stump and others have
small petals In addition to above
hardy varieties the following are next
in hardness and Of better quality
, Greensboro, Champion, Crosby, New
ington Cling, Old Nixon Free, Nixon
Cling, Wards Late aud Salway.
In conclusion let me warn mex
periencpd planters against setting
, peach trees as filters between apple
trees. The peach grows too fast here
for that. | can show peach trees
planted two years ago as one year
5.6 #. tres which last fall measured
IL IT high. 10 It. spread and 9 in
/ circumference % body at It. above
grou d. Peach trees seen by me il
Mar, land ise years old. We can beaI
here in size IN three years, Besides
peach trees are hOt as short lived a.