There are but few who realize the value of charcoal applied to the soil.
Whoever will observe fields where coal has been burned, will see that
grass or grain about the bed of the former pits, will be earlier and
much more luxuriant than in any other portion of the field. This
difference is discernible for twenty years. It is the best known agent
for absorbing any noxious matter in the soil or in the moisture about
the roots of the trees. No peach-tree should be planted without a few
quarts of pulverized charcoal in the soil. This would also prove highly
beneficial to cherry-trees on land where they might be exposed to too
much moisture. Its color also renders it an excellent application to the
surface of hills of vines. It is quite effectual against the ravages of
insects, and so absorbs the rays of the sun as to promote a rapid growth
of the plants.