54S 



THE GOOD EFFECTS OF MULCHING 



of iron, iron filings, parings of hoofs, clinck- 

 ■ is. charcoal dust, and the ashes of bitu- 

 menous coal; the latter constituting pro- 

 bably about one-third of the whole. 



In order the more satisfactorily to know 

 the result of the application, I chose for the 

 purpose some rows of dwarf pear trees, in a 

 piece of strong loamy soil. They had been 

 planted two or three years. 



I put a bushel of the sweepings referred 

 to around every other tree, in each row, — 

 leaving the alternate tree untouched, but 

 receiving in other respects the same treat- 

 ment and culture. 



After applying the blacksmith's sweep- 

 ings, I spread it over the ground as far as 

 the roots extended, and turned it under 

 about three inches deep. 



The first year there was very little, if 

 any, effect perceptible. All the trees were 

 in good condition ; those that received the 

 dressing and the others nearly alike in 

 growth and health. 



The second year, the dressed trees took 

 a start. They grew a third more in height 



than the others in the same rows; the 

 wood was stronger, and the buds longer. 



Last year the same difference in growth 

 and vigor continued ; so that now the trees 

 are — some of them — half as large a^ain 

 as those not dressed with the sweepings. 

 I have observed, also, that the leaves are a 

 darker green, and the fruit, though not much 

 larger, has been much fairer in appearance. 



The result was so satisfactory that I have 

 since engaged all the sweeps that are to be 

 had in my neighborhood, and mean to try 

 them upon other fruit trees. 



I must also be allowed to add that four 

 pear trees, to which I gave, by way of ex- 

 periment, a peck of leached wood ashes 

 each, at the same time with sweepings, have 

 all along been decidedly the most vigorous 

 of all, and have borne the finest fruit. 



I follow the plan suggested some time 

 ago in the Horticulturist, of keeping the 

 trunks of my pear trees sheathed with straw 

 all the year round ; and since I have done 

 so, have not been troubled with blight. 

 Yours, P. M. C 



New- York, May, 1850. 



ON THE GOOD EFFECTS OF MULCHING. 



BY A CONSTANT READER. 



Sir — It seems to me that when any one 

 has found a practice in horticulture not 

 generally known to be of great value, he 

 owes it to his neighbors and fellow labor- 

 ers in the cause to make it public. 



I tried the value of mulching — i.e., cover- 

 ing the soil over the roots of trees with 

 straw, litter, sea-weed, or whatever else 

 may be most convenient for retaining the 

 moisture, keeping the earth cool, and pre- 

 serving a uniform temperature — pretty ex- 

 tensively last year. I not only mulched 

 newly transplanted trees, but garden vege- 



tables, egg plants, okra, &c. Encouraged 

 by the good results, I covered the ground 

 under melons with straw ; and this year 

 am trying it with various flowering shrubs 

 and plants. 



The great advantage of mulching is un- 

 questionably for transplanted trees. I think 

 it may be safely said that a tree having 

 only one-third of its original roots left, (and 

 the to*p, of course, shortened-back in pro- 

 portion,) — such a tree as would die nine 

 times out of ten with common treatment of 

 watering, &c. — may be invariably saved by 



