THE IMPORTANCE OF MULCHING. 



certain kinds of apples, — such as the Roxbury russet, that are generally small and 

 knerly on a gravelly bottom, careful mulching is almost equal to a cl;iy subsoil. 



And here let me say, by way of parenthesis, that in the cultivation of these fruits, it is 

 not, I think, any nutritive element in the clay soil, but only its power of retaining mois- 

 ture, that gives it the advantage over a gravelly substratum. By carefully mulching, 

 however, I do not mean a wisp of straw, hay, weeds, or small brush, nor a shovel of spent 

 tan, hub-chips or saw-dust, placed just round the trunk of the tree, but a covering of the 

 ground, if possible, as far as the roots extend. There are some absurd people, who seem 

 to think, if we are to judge them by their practice, that somewhere at the butt of the tree 

 is a great mouth, in which the tree takes in its food and drink; and, accordingly, they 

 put all the nourishment, whether liquid or solid, " right round" the trunk. Whereas 

 the truth is, the numerous little mouths that drink in the moisture, and the nutritious 

 elements that are disolved in it, are in the little spongioles that form the very termina- 

 tions of the radical branches; and our course of treatment should be based upon this fact, 

 in watering, manuring, and mulching. 



Mulching then, in the first place, prevents, in light gravelly soils — and in dry seasons 

 in all soils — the evaporation of the moisture necessary to that flow of sap, that shall make 

 a luxuriant growth, fine foliage und fair, large juicy fruit . 



And secondly, as the elements that nourish the tree are contained in the moisture in 

 solution, and a dry state of the earth must thus cut off the supply of food, mulching ac- 

 tually nourishes the tree. In proof of this, I might, would my space allow, adduce nu- 

 merous facts; but experiments are so easil}^ tried, that such evidence is hardly necessarj'- 

 here. 



In conclusion, as the season for planting flowers, roots, seeds, &c., is at hand, I must 

 say one word in favor of mulching for them. 



3/ulch your dahlias, — if you want free, rapid, vigorous growth, and full abundant bloom. 

 Much the best substance or mulch tor this purpose, is the soft spongy meadow moss, though 

 leaves and coarse sedgy meadow hay will do. I have planted two rows of dahlias side by 

 side, trenched them alike — twenty inches deep — manured them alike, and the row that 

 was kept carefully mulched outgrew and outbloomed the other, and put it altogether to 

 shame. 



Mulch your flower seeds — " and what do you mean by that .'"' I mean that flower seeds 

 fail to come up, either from a deficiency or a superabundance of moisture, both of M'hich 

 extremes are obviated by this process. 



When you plant your seeds, cover them over with the same spongy moss spoken of 

 above. And, that I may be perfectly understood, here is my recipe for planting flower 

 seeds: Make the earth very fine with a garden knife or common case knife. Scatter your 

 seeds, if small, over the place thus prepared, — if large, bury them a little; press the 

 earth upon them; spread your damp moss, and clap a flower pot or pan over them. When 

 your seeds have started, lift up the pot a little by putting a stick or stone under the south 

 side, and as soon as your seedlings look green and strong, take away the moss, keeping 

 the pot or pan handy against a late frost or chilling wind. In this M'a}'-, you will rarely 

 have to complain of your seedsman; and you may have early plants and the most delicate 

 kinds without a hot-bed. My fiiends are putting the continual query, " How do you 

 make all your seeds come up and grow .'" This is my secret, and in Prof. LINDLFA'^s 

 book 3^ou will find it more in detail. Let me say in conclusion: mulch nno plantations 

 wish your trees to live and grow. Mulch your young trees if you want 

 and luxuriant. IMulch your old trees if you desire fine foliage and fair larg( 



