THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
29 
absorbs, and retains in the soil, water that is avail¬ 
able for plants. The air in the soil is different be¬ 
cause it contains more carbon dioxide. This added 
to the soil water increases its dissolving ])ower and 
makes plant food more quickly available. ()ne means 
of adding more humus to the soils is stable manure. 
The plant food in stable manure represents only a 
small part of the value. The organic matter or hu¬ 
mus in it is valuable in the soil for the reason above 
stated. Sometimes humus is lost by allowing manure 
to burn in the pile. 
Another way of getting humus is by a ])ro])er cro]) 
rotation. A short crop rotation will add tlie most 
humus. Plow under a heavy sod, every three to five 
years. In such rotation we can grow corn, clover, al¬ 
falfa, etc., that fill the soil full of roots. 
(jreen cover crops that are sown as catch crops are 
also a means of getting humus. Sowing rye and 
vetch after an early crop has been harvested is a ^)od 
practice. Sowing rye, when digging potatoes, is a 
good thing to do. I have analyzed the soil where 
this has been done for twelve years, and the analysis 
showed an increasing supply of humus. It is better 
to plow under leguminous crops as clover, peas, soy 
beans, etc., or sod made by these. Mr. Barron said 
in answer to questions, ‘‘sow about half as much 
vetch as rye for best results. Vetch is expensive 
and this is one obstacle in sowing it. Vetch will ])ro- 
duce seed in New Y'ork. Y^ou can grow your own 
seed.— J. n. B. in ‘^The Indiana Fminer.” 
two thousand barrels and he will extend the ])lanting 
next yejir, especially Raspbernes, ('berries and 
(}ra])es. 
Sunnyfield Nursery (V)., Poughkeepsie, X. Y., 
Bankrupt. Edward K. Hass, Tiaistee, has filed a re- 
poi-t and accounting and has ))aid to the creditors a 
first dividend of one pei' cent. 9diis ])ayment is but a 
very small portion of the debts of tlie company, l)ut it 
is ho])ed that later a larger dividend will be i)aid. 
We congratulate “7Va' /’/or/.s7’.s- B.r<-lian(/e’' on its 
25th anniversary number issued December 1.3th. A 
journal of 1-17 pages, a work of no mean accom])lish- 
ment. It is a sidendid index of the wonderful strides 
made in oui- allied ])i'ofession during the last (piarter 
of a century. 
May the progTess be as good in the next. 
We ai’e glad to know that this fine collection of 
plants is going to be in such good hands as the Witch 
nursery is famous all over the world and no doulh 
contains many rare and good things which it would 
be a distinct loss to horticulture if they were not 
kept together by an efficient management. America 
is to be congratulated on acquiring such a treasure. 
Ylr. .John K. M. L. Farquhar, ])i‘esident of the 
Massachusetts Horticultural Hocietv, who recentlv 
returned from London, rejjorts that the ’Witch col¬ 
lection of Lilacs and other plants, re])uted to be the 
finest collection in England, has been purchased for 
the Arnold Arboretum, by the director. Prof. Charles 
S. Sargent. 
A fire recently destroyed a barn which belonged to 
the Sherman Nursery Company, Charles City, Iowa. 
Thirtv horses were lost. 
There has been a rather large sale of Berb(‘ris 
Thunbergii seedlings to the trade this fall. The 
price of these has been from eight to ten dollars per 
thousand. 
C. B. Snyder, 4523 Franklin Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio, 
writes: “ AVe are very busy filling fall orders and for 
new beginners we are doing splendidly, with bright 
prospects for next spring.” 
A. Hamilton & Sons, Peach Belt Nurseries, Bangor, 
Alicli., write : “Sales have been good and we don’t 
expect to have much to offer at wholesale, except 
Duchess Apple and Gooseberry layers.” 
D. AY. Babcock, Alanager, Atlantic Nursery, Berlin, 
Aid., writes: “AVe have had fine weather here for 
nursery woi'k. AYe have just completed lifting and 
storing over 50,000 Dahlia climi])s, now digging and 
shipping large quantities of seedlings. Oaks, Black 
Locust, Catal})a, Oriental Plane and the Dogwoods 
are the leaders this fall with us.” 
AYick Hathaway, Aladison, Ohio, writes: “1 never 
had a finer trade. In fact my storage will not begin 
to be all occu])ied, owing to so much fall shi])ments. 
Apple and Peach growing has attracted so mu(*h 
attention the ])ast few years that the berry business 
has been overlooked. Unusual high ]UMces for berries 
the ]iast two years has ])robably caused a demand for 
berry ]dants and if all nurseries close iq) as well as [ 
have there will be a shortage, if not higher ])rices 
than usual.” 
G. II. Townsend, 112 N. AYebster street, Aladison. 
AYisconsin, had an apple crop this year that was ovei- 
Griffing Bros., Grand Bay, Alabama, re])oil that 
the nursery growing season has been an excellent one. 
