§g STATE POMOLOQICAL SOCIETY. 



which had been leached and thrown out upon the floor of the fac- 

 tory, and had lain there during all that time, lie told me the 

 exact number of barrels of soap that he made from leaching those 

 ashes over again, which was the full number that the unleached 

 ashes would have made. If there is any scientific man liere who 

 can explain that, I think he may show us an important truth. I 

 think it resulted from the power of the leached ashes to absorb 

 alkali from the atmosphere. 



Now, nitre is a very important agent in vegetation, and vphat I 

 am coming at is this, that I deem the ploughing of the orchard to 

 be of very great value, and I think that value arises chiefly from 

 this power of the earth to absorb nitre from the atmosphere, in the 

 same way that it is absorbed under old buildings where the ground 

 is dry, and there is no water to wash it away. Let an orchard be 

 laid down to grass, and sheep and swine run in it, vpith the teams 

 that haul the apples, and the soil is constantly trodden down, and 

 the roots of the grass are almost a solid net-work; and there is 

 but a very indirect and feeble atmospheric action under that sur- 

 face; but when we break that soil, and pulverize it, and throw it 

 up, then we distribute a stratum of loose earth on the top which 

 has this power of absorption, and every time it rains or the snow 

 melts, the water absorbs the accumulated nitre, and carries it down 

 to the roots of the tree, and comes out clear spring water. So I 

 Bay, plough the orchard, harrow it, and keep the surface loose. 



I have used superphosphate as a manure for fruit trees, to a small 

 extent, with great satisfaction, and intend to continue it; and I 

 expect (although I cannot now demonstrate any successful experi- 

 ments), to reach very satisfactory results. And while mulching 

 is good, if we want profitable orchards we must, in my judgment, 

 have something more than leaves and grass. 



G. B. Sawyer, of Wiscasset. I wish to say, that I believe in 

 mulching, not only for its generally accepted purpose of protec- 

 tion to the roots of the trees, but also as a most efficient, econom- 

 ical and natural means of fertilization ; and I practice it to the 

 fullest extent in my power, using sea-weeds and the leaves of 

 deciduous trees, chiefly, for the purpose. 



But, inasmuch as the general subject of mulching has not been 

 announced for consideration at this session, and is not, therefore, 

 properly before the Society, (except as a metiiod for the applica- 

 tion of manure,) it cannot at this time receive that attention which 



