
sands of minute growing rootlets of plants and trees. 
The fact that this material has ripened in light and air 
cannot be over-emphasized. 
In great contrast are the peat mosses and other forms 
of humus which, while they hold the moisture as does 
Oak Leafmold, cannot feed our plants because they are 
“locked.” Lying for centuries without the benefit of 
light or air they develop a set condition that is very 
hard to break down. It is months after these are put 
in the ground before decomposition, so necessary to 
make conditions right for the bacteria, occurs. 
I know from experience, that many people who love 
their plants will not be content to use Oak Leafmold 
alone. Even when their trees are growing fine they will 
want to put something richer around them. I insist 
that no commercial fertilizers or chemicals be used. 
But I have found that under certain conditions, es- 
pecially where the soil is very poor, the following com- 
post will work wonders: ‘To every ton made up of 
two parts of Oak Leafmold and one part of well rot- 
ted cow manure, add 400 pounds of cottonseed meal 
and 200 pounds of crushed tobacco stems. If your 
ground is very sour, hardwood ashes can be used in 
place of tobacco stems. 
Try Oak Leafmold, or the above compost which is 
more than half Oak Leafmold, against any other fer- 
tilizer and you will agree with me that Oak Leafmold 
is the best material in the world for Hollies and most 
of our other native trees and shrubs. 
EARLE DILATUSH. 
Robbinsville, N. J. 
