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Domestic News
September 2, 1858
Fayetteville Observer
Fayetteville, Lincoln County, Tennessee
What is this article about?
Agricultural article defining mulching as covering soil around crops with materials like straw to suppress weeds and retain moisture, with benefits for potatoes, strawberries, and watermelons. Recommends thorough soil preparation for annual crops.
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Farm and Garden.
MULCHING
This is a word much used in agricultural writing, of which but few people know the meaning. It simply means covering over the surface of the soil, where a crop is planted with a coat of anything. To lay down Irish potatoes on the surface of the ground, and cover it over with straw, is to mulch them. To cover the surface in a strawberry bed with sand (so as not to cover the plants,) is to mulch them--which is said to be an excellent practice to cause them to bear. Mulching is an excellent plan for several kinds of garden, or horticultural products. One great advantage of it is, keeping the ground free from grass and weeds thus saving an amount of labor more than equal, perhaps, to cultivation. But where the crop is an annual (has to be sown or planted every year.) the soil should first be thoroughly prepared, by deep plowing or spading, and pulverization. as it will not admit of being stirred after mulching unless the coat be removed. The loose and moist state in which mulching will keep it, will pretty well compensate for this, however. The different materials for mulching will depend upon the kind of crop. Watermelons will do much better to be mulched with straw, as well as strawberries. These last can be spaded, or the ground stirred between the plants before the mulching is put on.
MULCHING
This is a word much used in agricultural writing, of which but few people know the meaning. It simply means covering over the surface of the soil, where a crop is planted with a coat of anything. To lay down Irish potatoes on the surface of the ground, and cover it over with straw, is to mulch them. To cover the surface in a strawberry bed with sand (so as not to cover the plants,) is to mulch them--which is said to be an excellent practice to cause them to bear. Mulching is an excellent plan for several kinds of garden, or horticultural products. One great advantage of it is, keeping the ground free from grass and weeds thus saving an amount of labor more than equal, perhaps, to cultivation. But where the crop is an annual (has to be sown or planted every year.) the soil should first be thoroughly prepared, by deep plowing or spading, and pulverization. as it will not admit of being stirred after mulching unless the coat be removed. The loose and moist state in which mulching will keep it, will pretty well compensate for this, however. The different materials for mulching will depend upon the kind of crop. Watermelons will do much better to be mulched with straw, as well as strawberries. These last can be spaded, or the ground stirred between the plants before the mulching is put on.
What sub-type of article is it?
Agriculture
What keywords are associated?
Mulching
Agriculture
Strawberries
Watermelons
Soil Preparation
Weed Control
Domestic News Details
Event Details
Explanation of mulching technique: covering soil around planted crops with materials like straw or sand to prevent weeds, retain moisture, and reduce labor. Examples include Irish potatoes with straw, strawberries with sand for better bearing, and watermelons with straw. For annual crops, prepare soil deeply first as it cannot be stirred after mulching without removal.