Evening star., 1928-05-26
Garden Paper Mulch.


Apparently the paper mulch method
Of garden culture is attracting q great
deal OF attention everywhere In the
= country, Garden and farming papers
are giving the subject unusual conSid-
Grafton, some of the more optimistic
editors going so far as TO suggest that
paper mulch may altogether replace
cultivation in the future. Some Of the
large paper manufacturing companies
are now making special grades Of water
resistant paper just for this purpose.
Astounding increases in yield are
claimed as a result of paper mulchins,
but withal there are lots of things to be
learned about paper mulching before
gardeners give up old practices. In the
first place, the paper is quite costly, not
far from $500 an acre for material that
may not last more than two years. On
q small scale the cost would be In the
vicinity OF cents square yard. An
other point for consideration Is that
paper mulching has not been thorough
ly tested: its use in this part Of the
country Is still very much Of an expert
Ynert Favorable results Of one year
may not be repeated over 8 period OF
years.
But withal paper mulching Is worth
testing out on q small scale. The paper
is treated with asphalt and, although
resembling common tarred building
paper. is altogether different, for the
asphalt is not soluble Tar washed Of
of ordinary paper would kill or injure
the plants.
Paper mulching is supposed TO aid
keeping the soil warm at night, (2l
in conserving soil moisture and (S) in
SuppreSSing weed growth.
The question of soil warmth seems
particularly important. for recent studies
At the New Jersey Experiment Station
show that with asparagus at least nitro
gen is not used much below 55' Fahren-
heit. Paper mulch is not supposed to
replace manure and fertilizers, but it is
designed to replace cultivation after the
paper is once down, which Is usually
Just before sowing or setting out the
plants.
DR. Louis H. Flint of the Department
of Agriculture has carried on quite eX-
tensive experiments with the paper
mulch and has Just recently published
a preliminary report entitled, Crop
Plant Stimulation With Paper Mulch"
United States Department 81 Agricul-
ture Technical Bulletin No rs. which
presents clear picture of the present
situation as regards paper mulch.
Fertilizer Returns.
-. - 1t is well to remember that the use
- fulness Of fertilizers may be greatly TIM
paired by certain existing conditions
For example, on strongly acid soils GER
tain crops such as spinach and beetS
may not be expected 10 thrive even
with heavy fertilization However
when the acidity Is reduced by applica.
tons of lime. good results follow the
use of fertilizers.
Slowly soluble and slowly available
fertilizers may prove Of little use 70
short-lived plants such as lettuce. spin
ach and radishes. Again the applica-
ton of concentrated fertilizer too close
to the seed or plants or without thor
ough mixing with the soil may cause
injury to the terminating seed or
plants.
Poor soil drainage Is another handi-
cap to the usefulness of fertilizers since
fdf most plants. heavy wet soil greatly
inhl6!tS growth irrespective Of sol
foods. Conversely. soils lacking in
moisture cannot benefit from fertilizers
since there Is not enough water to dis
solve the nutrients into solutions that
can be taken up by the plants. Com
mercaal fertilizers are Of little benefit
unless there is organic matter or humus
In the soil. Decaying vegetable matter
supplies certain needs Of the plant
sources. This is why q small applica-
ton Of stable manure or turned under
cover crop exertS such remarkable ef-
fectS on impoverished soils.
Altogether II is quite evident that
gardeners should not expect fertilizer
70 be cure call, but must apply 1t with
forethough and care IL the best re-
suits are 70 be anticipated.
termination Standard.
The results Of termination tests con-
aueted in 1877 by the Connecticut Agri-
cultural Experiment Station on q total
% the formation Of table Of standards
OF expected termination for various
ercpS
With good seed and under favorable
conditions beans, peas and sweet corn
may be expected TO Eerminate 90 70
100 per cent: beets, cabbage, cucumber,
rsdish and onions, IS to 100 per cent:
squash, S5 TO 80 per cent: lettuce. 30
70 s5 per cent: carrot, 20 to 30 per
cent; spinach. 10 70 sS per cent: par
snip, 20 TO SO per cent The very
low expectation for parSnip would sug-
gest the need Of sowing seed Of this
vegetable quite thickly.
American HeIIy.
In the minds OF most folks the native
holly Is thought OF largely as q source
Of Christmas decorative material. Yet
the holly has qualities which place II
among the very desirable landscape
plants The tree is upright and sym
naetrical and the bright, attractive foii-
age IL evergreen. Its beauty In the late
Fall and early Winter when in berry is
beTond need Of emphasizing. The fact
that halfv arauE freAIy tK fna moods
about Washington removes any question
Of adsptability to this region
Unfortunately, all holly trees do not
carry berries The male or pollen-pro-