COUNTRY LIFE
A CORRESPONDENT has referred to the passage in The Natural History of Se! borne (what a secret of pure, distilled English-ness that dry title covers) in which Gilbert White quotes a letter from a Mr. Marsham, of Stretton, who planted an oak tree, and reported that "I flatter myself that l increased its growth by spreading sawdust." This is an interesting reminder, for there has been much controversy of recent years about the possibility of utilising as fertiliser the vast amount of residue from the sawmills of this country. Since sawdust is vegetable waste, there should be no reason why it cannot be broken down in compost, or even scattered on the soil ; but every farmer to whom I have spoken scoffs at the idea. " There's no virtue in sawdust," they all say. "Only breeds a lot of vermin."
It is certainly unresponsive stuff toward moisture, and even when thoroughly saturated it remains inert and obstinate. Even so, I have used it as a dressing, mixed with bonemeal, and sometimes with linseed waste, under cherry trees. It may do no good, but at least it serves as an economical spreader. And I am still not convinced that sawdust is different from all other vegetable matter by being outside the law of cyclic process, which governs every organic substance.
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