THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 89 



being of the trees is greatly benefited by keeping the trees clean 

 and free from all their own decaying matter. This is best done 

 directly all the leaves are off deciduous trees, or flowers and fruit 

 are over in evergreens, dusting with dry ashes, lime, or sulphur 

 — before syringing them with water, hot or cold — instead of 

 using poisonous chemicals, while judiciously fertilizing them with 

 the ferments necessary ; the fermented foods, usually vegetable 

 matter, but containing mineral ingredients also, if possible, and 

 suitably prepared, are most readily used in a liquid state, and 

 given frequently, but not too much at a time. This, however, is far 

 too expensive for ordinary crops for market; still there are times 

 when it can be profitably made and used. In our dry land we 

 have to replace, as far as we can, the work of the earthworm. 

 In part of a paddock fertilized by the burrowings of the Giant 

 Earthworm, ten tons of potatoes were dug. Where no earth- 

 worms have been found, not three tons grew : so, ploughing in 

 either spiny or herbaceous plants with tap roots, seems the 

 nearest approach to aerating the land after the manner of the 

 worms, and adding vegetable matter in a moist state, as well as a 

 ferment plant, while alternating with the cultivation of peas and 

 beans to improve the growing capabilities of the land. 



Thirty years ago the attempt to turn into a garden a small 

 piece of ground where the original surface soil had been covered 

 with yellow clay gave an insight into the folly of burying the rich 

 soil under air-tight clay, as when the soil was brought up to the 

 surface it was positively injurious to plant life. If the same 

 quantity of clay had been worked into the soil it would have 

 been beneficial. This shows the want of success in trenching 

 soils too deeply without any means for the air to penetrate. If 

 the air can penetrate, then trenching is most valuable, provided the 

 summer rains do not run down too deep too quickly, as in some of 

 the deep rich forest soils, after the forests are removed, when they 

 soon deteriorate. From this perpetual motion is necessary for 

 the fertility of a field or garden. This is to be seen in a forest 

 constant replacing, by fallen leaves and other fermentable matter, 

 the nourishment derived from the soil. The value of trees as 

 fertilizing agents is often not fully appreciated, for immediately 

 under the trees, except in forests or dense jungles, it is often very 

 dry and barren — some think from too much tannin or other 

 injurious droppings from the trees, but more probably from an 

 insufficiency of moisture for plant life. In a field the benefit of a 

 tree with the pendulous or easily moved leaves of our Eucalypts, or 

 Aromadendrons, can be seen on a still, scorching day in gently 

 agitating and thereby cooling the air, or on a still, chilly day in 

 warming the air, with the slightest breath of wind, at the same 

 time drawing up by its roots mineral matter from the subsoils and 

 scattering it over the fields by its leaves ; so amongst fertilizers 



