240 
THE CULTIVATOR 
August, 
New Method of Fertilizing Land. 
I believe it is generally argued by farmers, that 
shade tends to impoverish the soil ; but after a careful 
examination, I have come to the conclusion that shade 
makes land rich. Perhaps those opposed to this theo¬ 
ry will say, if shade makes land rich, why does not 
the soil under every large tree become extremely fer¬ 
tile? It seems to me that every intelligent husband¬ 
man might answer this question without much hesita¬ 
tion. The reason is this: the growth of the tree is 
constantly drawing the strength from the soil, and if 
the shade did not tend to enrich the land, the soil wouid 
soon be so much impoverished that the tree would die. 
If any person wishes to be convinced of the truth ot 
this new theory, let him try an experiment on a small 
scale. Take a piece of poor ground, one rod square, 
and cover it over with brush two feet deep; let it re¬ 
main covered in this manner four years ; then remove 
the brush, and if I am not very much mistaken, he 
will find that the soil has become rich, although no 
manure has been added. Let any man enter the forest, 
and examine the soil which has had the growing timber 
consuming its fertilizing matter for centuries, and he 
will find that the soil is still very rich. Now I will ask 
how the fertility has been kept up, if the shade does 
not tend to fertilize the soil? I shall doubtless hear 
many say it has been kept up by the manure made of 
the leaves of the trees. I admit that the foliattends 
to fertilize, but the quantity of matter returned to the 
soil in this way is so small in comparison to what is ta¬ 
ken up by the growth of the timber, it is evident there 
must be a greater source of fertilization, or the soil 
would long since have been exhausted. 
By shading land properly, the soil is made to under¬ 
go the putrefactive process, and is converted into a 
strong and durable manure. Ask farmers that raise 
flax and spread it upon their land, if the grass is any 
larger where the flax was spread than elsewhere : they 
will answer, yes. You may ask them why it is larger; 
they will say the flax has enriched the land. Ask 
them how it has enriched the land, and I presume to 
say, not more than one in ten can tell you. 
The cheapest and best way that I think of to shade 
land, is with clover. Seed your land thick with clo¬ 
ver, and let it grow as large as possible without mow¬ 
ing or feeding it off; (for the more dense the shade 
the sooner the soil becomes rich ;) let it remain shaded 
in this way two or three years, then plow it up, and 
if I am not mistaken you will find your land is rich, 
notwithstanding you have put no manure upon it ex¬ 
cept the clover seed. 
Let this much suffice; for to him whose mind is un¬ 
touched by this, a volume on the subject would be use¬ 
less. Elihu Cross. Potter Hill , Rens. Co., N. Y. 
The simple process of shading land cannot impart 
any fertility whatever, else the north side of a building 
would soon become enriched by the process. Neither 
can the shade of trees prove beneficial to the soil, and 
although their growth is constantly withdrawing the 
strength from the soil, yet the annual extension of the 
roots, and tbeir penetration into the subsoil, brings 
them successively into contact with fresh portions of 
earth, and their growth continues unchecked. 
But when a porous substance is placed upon the 
surface of the earth, sufficiently dense to prevent the 
evaporation of its moisture, and at the same time to 
admit the free passage of rain and air, two very im¬ 
portant advantages are gained, namely, the preserva¬ 
tion of the riches of the soil, and the addition to its 
fertility by the condensation of volatile manures through 
the agency of rain, and by the gradual decomposition 
of the surface soil, through the action of air and wa« 
ter. If the earth is covered air-tight, as for example 
by a solid stack of ha}' or straw, resting directly upon 
it, no improvement follows, as would be the case if a 
pervious stratum merely was laid on its surface. For 
the same reason, the subsoil is never benefitted by the 
shade of the upper soil, because it is to'tally excluded 
from air and moisture. The great advantages of 
mulching, and of mellow cultivation, for fruit trees, 
are owing to a precisely similar cause ; namely, a po¬ 
rous surface, either of litter, or of pulverized earth, 
admitting air and moisture, and preserving from the 
escape of the moisture below. Mulching with old 
straw , or with pulverized earth, operate alike favor- 
Insects on the Elm. 
Messrs. Editors — I see in the Country Gentleman 
of June 22d, mention is made of an insect found very 
abundantly on elm trees at this place (Hudson N. Y.,) 
and proving destructive to the foliage, and inquires for 
a remedy. 
The elm trees of New Haven, Ct., (“ the city of the 
elms”) have thrice been threatened with destruction by 
the ravages of insects. These were small worms or 
caterpillars, which fed upon the leaves, sometimes 
entirely destroying them. When they attain their 
growth they buried themselves in the soil, passed 
through the chrysalis state and came forth as small 
whitish moths or butterflies, which deposited their eggs 
in its branches, from which were hatched the worms 
ready to commence new depredations. 
Now of the perfect insects, or butterflies, those of but 
one sex were furnished with perfect wings and could 
fly. . These flew up the branches, while those of the 
other sex crawled up the trunk, and deposited the eggs 
upon the twigs. The trees were saved from destruction 
by placing a small leaden trough (generally a leaden 
pipe cut open on one side,) closely around the trunk a 
few feet above the ground, which was kept filled with 
oil. Through this the insect could not pass, and conse¬ 
quently the eggs were not deposited. 
To make it effectual, all the trees should be so treat¬ 
ed for one or two years, and any one who visited New 
Haven in 1851 or 1852, saw them there so guarded. 
I state the above upon the authority of others. I 
have never made any observations upon the habits or 
nature of the insects, myself, although I hive often 
seen them, and the trees so protected. I state this to 
direct attention to those who know better, and undoubt¬ 
edly any of the authorities or citizens of that city 
would give any more information if requested. B. 
Ovid, New - York, June 23. 
