Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 March 1903 — MULCHING IN WINTER [ARTICLE]

MULCHING IN WINTER

In districts where winter grain is liable to be disturbed by frost, a slight mulch is always preferrable, for, in addition to protecting the crop from heaving during the winter, its quantity will be inaterhi'ly increased. Let those who doubt this principle place a board in their fields when plowing at this time, removing it in early spring, and they will find that during the whole summer the portion that had been so covered will produce more luxuriously than elsewhere. In some districts, where blackberries, and even currants and gooseberries are raised, they are materially improved by a slight winter niulrh; even grapevines will better protect their fruit the following year by being, thus protected during winter. Where salt hay is required for bedding, it may be collected with a horse rake from the land where it has been used as mulch in early spring to supply the stables with bedding during the summer. The amount invested in the Siberian railway le $401,700,000.