412 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



haps I would have to remove the mulch to allow the rain to pene- 

 trate, but on examination found that it was wetting down as 

 well or better under the mulch than away from it. So I conclud- 

 ed that continuous mulching was the thing for me — straw close 

 to the trees and "dust mulch" between the rows. 



It certainly preserves moisture, keeps the soil loose and cool, 

 and protects from excessive freezing in winter. 



Mr. S. O. Tuve: Don't you think the mulch provides a good 

 home for insects? 



Mr. Pond: I presume it does. 



Mr. Tuve: I know at the experiment station Prof. Green 

 keeps the ground perfectly clean. I presume he has some reason 

 for it. 



Mr. W. L. Taylor: I visited an orchard this summer and 

 found the trees lying in almost every direction. I said to the 

 owner, "What is the matter with your orchard?" He replied, 

 "I have mulched too much; I will never mulch again." The 

 trees could not stand up. 



The President: How large were the trees? 



Mr. Taylor: They had been planted seven years. They were 

 the Northwestern variety, but they could not hold up their wood. 



Mr. J. P. Andrews: How deep were they planted? 



Mr. Taylor: I could not tell you that. The man was very 

 much of the opinion that he did not want any more mulching. 



Mr. Brackett: I don't think it makes much difference what 

 you put on top of the ground, the roots will go where there is 

 subsistence. I just got back from a trip to the northern part 

 of the state, where the upper portion of the soil is very rich, and 

 I found that the forest trees do not go down over a foot, and it is 

 because they draw their nourishment from that portion of the 

 soil. Mulching will certainly bring the roots to the surface of 

 the ground. 



Mr. N. C. Radabaugh : There are two classes of roots sent 

 out. Some are sent out with little small feeders. I mulched 

 some Martha trees last year, and I mulched them very heavily, 

 and in that mulch there was an abundance of little fine white 

 roots, and all seemed to be of one size. I cannot believe that 

 those roots being exposed would be the means of affecting the 

 tree, and on our soil, which is very light, I have always mulched, 

 and on our little homestead the orchard has had nothing but 

 mulching. I know there is a great deal of fruit there, because 

 mother never fails to send us a liberal supply every season. The 

 fruit is large and perfect. That orchard is mulched in the win- 

 ter time every year. We have bees in the orchard, and the fruit 

 trees are well fertilized. That the fertilization of the flowers is 

 perfect is indicated by the number of seeds developed, and I 

 think the bees and the mulching go a long way to add to the 

 regular crop of fruit. 



Mr. Studley: I just want to add my testimony in the mat- 

 ter, and I wish to say that I can demonstrate to the satisfaction 



