The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1905-04-28
FERTILITY FROM DECAYiNG
EANES

great deal of fertilizer is lost every
year by destroying drcaying vegeta-
tion, instead OF incorporating 1t With
the soil, where it will furnish humus
ana valuable mineral elements, thus
greatly increasing the fertility OF the
soil
The greater part of this decaying
vegetation is composed of leaves, and
we often see great piles of them being
burned during fail and spring which
should be spread over the garden.
Some people use the leaves as a mulch
during the winter, but burn them in
the spring. Instead of this they should
be either forkcd into the soil around
trees and plants where they will rap
idly decay and be of use to the plants.
or be piled in heap. adding to all
kinds of refuse from the garden, wood
ash, sand, a little soil. Stops from the
house, etc, and let them rot in readi-
ness for use as pottiug soil for garden
ing purposes. 1t is best not to make
the piles too large, as during some sea
sons there is Il tendency to excessive
heating which burns up much of the
most valuable plant food. The mass
should De forked over occasionally, so
that all parts will be equally affected
by the sun air and ram.
1t is natural to suppose that valuable
clements are contained in these leaves
as the food of plants and trees taken
in through the roots passes through the
cells with the sap, and when the leaves
1all they become dry, and all the water
being thrown off it leaves only the
solid matter that has been taken from
the soil.
Ihls. then, after serving its purpose
should be returned TO mother earth eX-
actly as II is when the tree is through
with it, When burned and applied TO
the soil, only ash remains. This is
valuable in itself. but so much of the
plant food has been destroyed that it's
value is greatly diminished.
Nature has made n grand provision
in nlanning to have the leaves fan UNI
de? trees and shrubs, not only to pro-
tee the roots during cold winter and
no dry summers but so 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 fortified
often to keep the growing crop in good
condition, though great growth of tim
Der is being made all the time. When
all leaves are removed from around
~ '''''7 VII tiic law II Ill lne 1dlI, IL
often causes great harm, providing q
tidy looking lawn ut the expense of
the well being of the trees
The leaves lying as they fall form
a blanket during winter. which will
keep the moisture from the soil around
the roots. If the weather is very Sc
we're, trees and plants are often killed
on account of The dryness of the roots,
the soil freezing dry, then all the mois-
ture is drawn from the root and they
are within 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 III a small way all winter, so If
there is not enough moisture in the soil
to keep up the supply needed, the trees
Will often be killed