324 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
sullicicMil bulk to jji'oduce heat by ferinciitation, as in a 
liot 1 ) 0 ( 1 , would 1(6 bariuful to most plants. 
Mukdiing serves Ihree jniiposes; First, it ])revents 
drying out of llu' rools and the low(‘r portion of the plants 
it eoines in eontaet with. During dry, frosty, windy 
weather plants are very liable to suffer. We cannot give 
them water, as it woidd only freeze, but mulching pre¬ 
vents tb(‘ (hying out. Second, it helps to maintain an 
e(iuable temperature at the rools of a plant, and prevents 
alternate freezing and thawing. Everyone has noticed 
how the ground will thaw in bright weather in sunny 
positions, w hile it w ill remain frozen where the sun does 
not strike it. 
Without goijig into the science of it, this alternate 
freezing and thawing w ill lift shallow-rooted plants and 
those that are not properly established, right out of the 
gi'ound with disastrous results. 
A mulch })ut around such plants will prevent the thaw¬ 
ings, so that when the ground once freezes it stays so 
until the frost leaves the ground in the spring. 
A covering of snow acts in the same manner, and ex¬ 
plains why some plants come through severe winters in 
the northern latitudes unharmed, while they suffer in 
milder climates. 
The third value is a manurial rather than a protective 
one and depends rather on the kind of mulch used. Half- 
decayed stable manure is the most commonly used. It 
contains much plant food which washes down to the 
roots. 
In many cases it can he forked into the ground in the 
spring, and w ill he beneficial because it adds humus to 
the soil even though the plant foods have all leached out. 
To sum up the requirements for proper mulching: Do 
not put it on too early; after the ground begins to freeze 
is best. Use mulch four to eight inches deep; light ma¬ 
terial, such as straw- or leaves, maybe used more liber¬ 
ally than heavier stuff. 
Aim to cover the ground around the trees or smaller 
plants as far as the roots radiate. The distance wdll he 
known wdth newdy planted stock. With established stock 
as far as the branches or tops reach, is a good rule. 
When mulching herbaceous plants do not cover those 
plants that have succulent or tender and evergreen tops 
too deeply, or it will hold too much moisture around 
hem and they will decay, especially if it be a mild w in¬ 
ter. Such plants as pinks. Sweet Williams, hardy candv- 
tufts, stone crops, gaillardeas, larkspurs, pansies and 
young seedlings of all kinds, just enough covering to 
keep off the sun and w ind is sufficient. 
APPLE GROWING EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI 
The fundamental principles of apple growing are dis¬ 
cussed in a new" bulletin just issued by the United States 
Depaidment of Agriculture which treats in particular of 
apple growling east of the Mississippi River. The fruit 
growler, says the department, wdio best understands the 
principles involved and applies them wisely is the one 
w ho usually succeeds because he best meets the condi¬ 
tions of nature with wdiich he contends. There is no 
“rule of thumb” method of procedure which can he laid 
down to fit all localities and conditions. 
From their inception, says the department, many or- 
(diards are doomed to failure or to mediocrity of success 
only, because they are j)oorly located with respect to 
soil, local temperature conditions, or for some other rea¬ 
son which is inherent in the surroundings and which 
might easily have been avoided had the principles of good 
orcharding been observed in the beginning. 
With the high costs that enter into the development 
and maintenance of apple orchards, any advantages of 
site and location and of favorable conditions with respect 
to regularity of crops, abundant yields, and perfection of 
development of the fruit may made a wide difference in 
the financial aspects of an orchard enterprise, as com- 
])ared w ith one w"here adverse conditions occur. 
The aim of Farmers’ Rulletin 1360 is to help the grow ¬ 
er in meeting some of the problems of apple orchard 
planting and maintenance. A copy may he secured upon 
request, as long as the supply lasts, from the United 
States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. G. 
“THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER” 
“The Progressive Farmer” an agricultural paper with 
a circulation of 100,000 w eekly, of each of its four edi¬ 
tions, is living up to its name in cooperating with the 
nursery trade. 
In its issue of November 15th a})peared the following 
editorial and form for its readers to fill in. Such real 
help in bringing the farmers and nurserymen together 
to their mutual benefit deserves appreciation and recip¬ 
rocity from the nurserymen. 
LET’S REALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ORCHARD 
BUSINESS 
Nearly every thoughtful farmer expects “sometime” to have 
a good orchard. No doubt, too, that resolution to have a good 
orchard was strengthened in many minds by last week’s “More 
and Better Fruit Special”—ah issue, by the way, that it might 
pay not only to read but to file away for future reference. 
But what we especially wish to emphasize now is the need 
for really going ahead and making a sure-enough start toward 
having a good orcha"d. Let’s not just wait till maybe sometime 
some agent may come along and take our order. Instead, let’s 
show some initiative on our own part. In order to help our read¬ 
ers to a decision, we are reprinting on page 10 the blank we last 
week suggested that each reader fill out and mail to some nur¬ 
seryman. At the same time you do not commit yourself in any 
vmy by sending this blank; you just get prices on as many or 
as fev/ of the printed list as you wish—and then you can place 
your order later, with all the facts before you. But we do beg 
you to use the inquiry blank on page 10, and make a real start 
toward getting a good orchard. 
The truth is, that there is no longer any reason for not having 
an abundance of fruit nearly all the year. And we can not only 
have fruit—we can have good fruit. We need fruit that is not 
burrowed into and made unclean by worms; fruit that is not 
rough and soiled by scab or scale; fruit that is not rotted or 
made bitter by disease. On the contrary, we can have good fruit 
—wholesome, delicious fruit, fit for a king to eat—just as good 
as the fruit stores in our cities delight the eye and tempt the 
appetite with. It pays to have fresh, clean fruit because (1) a 
fruit diet promotes health; (2) fruit is worth its cost as a food; 
(3) it is worth more than its cost in the pleasure it gives the 
whole family; while (4) a surplus for sale will often pay the 
cost of growing the fruit and a profit besides. There is, there¬ 
fore, no risk in making the home orchard a profitable investment 
when it is properly cared for. 
Properly cared for! There’s the one obstacle in the way of 
more and better fruit all over the South. And there are proper- 
ly-cared-for orchards all over the South, and they are paying, 
too. 
As evidence that good orchards pay, just read what the proud 
keepers of home orchards had to say in last week’s Progressive 
Farmer: — 
Mr. Presley, of Mississippi, after supplying his home needs, 
sold more than $300 worth of fruit from his home orchard. 
Mr. Kiker, of North Carolina, brought up a run-down orchard 
