Whether you need dynamite or not depends upon the condition of the
sub-soil. If you are on river flats with an alluvial soil, rather loose
to a considerable depth, dynamiting is not necessary. If, by digging,
you encounter hardpan, or clay, dynamiting may be very profitable. This
matter must be looked into, because the failure of trees on river lands
is more often due to their planting over gravel streaks, which too
rapidly draw off water and cause the tree to fail for lack of moisture.
In such cases dynamite would only aggravate the trouble. Dynamiting
should be done in the fall and not in the spring. The land should have a
chance to settle and readjust itself by the action of the winter rains;
otherwise, your trees may dry out too much next summer.
Improving Heavy Soils.
What is adobe? What kind of plants will grow best in adobe? In this
Redwood City I find clay-like soil which looks very dark and heavy. What
kind of plants will grow best in this soil?
The term adobe does not mean any particular kind of soil. It is applied
locally to clay and clay-loam soils indiscriminately. It generally
signifies the heaviest, stickiest, crackingest soil in the vicinity.
Most plants will grow well on heavy soils if they are kept from getting
too dry and too full of water. This is done by using plenty of stable
manure and other coarse stuff to make the soil more friable, which
favors aeration, drainage, root extension and plant thrift.
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