No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 399 



"(2) To develop and maintain a large elective depth of soil, so 

 that there shall be ample living room, an extensive feeding surface 

 and large storage capacity for moisture and available plant-food 

 materials. 



"(3) To increase the humus of the soil through a deep and ex- 

 tensive incorporatioa of organic matter so that there may be a 

 strong growth of soil micro-organisms and the maintenance of a 

 high content of water-soluble ijlant-food materials. 



"(4) To improve the tilth and maintain the best structural con- 

 dition in the soil, so that the roots of the crop and the soil organism 

 may spread readily and widely to place themselves in the closest 

 contact with the largest amount of food materials. 



"(5) To control the amount, to regulate the movement, and to 

 determine the availability of soil-moisture, so that there shall never 

 be an excess or deficiency of this indispensible carrier of food ma- 

 terials and through the plant. 



"(6) To determine the amount, movement and availability of 

 the water-soluble plant-food materials present in the soil, so that 

 growth may be both rapid, normal and continuous to the end of 

 the season. 



"(7) To convert the entire root zone of the soil into a commodious, 

 sanitary living and feeding place, perfectly adapted to the needs 

 of the roots of the crop and to the soil organisms, — adequately 

 drained, perfectly ventilated and sufficiently warm. 



"(8) To reduce the waste of plant-food materials through the 

 destruction of weeds and the prevention of their growth, through 

 prevention of surface washing and drifting by winds." 



It is impossible by any other means than tillage to obtain for 

 the apple the conditions enumerated above; soil uniformity; soil 

 depth or a commodious living room; an increase of humus; im- 

 proved physical condition of the soil; conservation and regulation 

 of moisture; greater availability of plant food; a sanitary living 

 place, clean, drained, ventilated and sufficiently warm ; and the de- 

 struction of weeds. Are not these objects worth striving for with 

 any cultivated plant? 



I am fortunate, too, in being able to give the philosophy of the 

 sod-mulch and in the words of Mr. Grant Hitchings, who, as all 

 know has been one of the chief advocates of it. Mr. Hitchings 

 says: 



"This system gives one practically the whole Spring and Sum- 

 mer to grow and market other crops, while the orchard is growing 

 of its own accord a supply of vegetable matter for humus that all 

 authorities agree is so necessary for proper soil luaintenance. This 

 means that you can do a good business without extra help, growing 

 strawberries, green peas, early potatoes, etc., and have the money 

 for the fruit in the fall to sAvell your bank account instead of paying 

 it out for fertilizers and cultivation. Other advantages are that you 

 can drive through your orchard to spray better on sod than on culti- 

 vated soil, as the latter sometimes gets muddy, and also washes 

 badly on rolling ground. You can allow your apples to mature 

 fully on the trees, for if they should fall on the grassy mulch nine- 

 tenths of them would be marketable. By making repeated garter- 



