366 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



is beneficial. The exhalation from the leaf is diminished, 

 and sap retained within the tree. Beside this, the leaf and 

 young green bark absorb some moisture. 



3. Where watering is resorted to it should not be upon 

 the surface ; especially is this injurious in. clay soils. The 

 moisture is immediately exhaled, and the sun hardens the 

 wet earth into a crust, nearly as impervious to light, and 

 air and moisture, as if it were sheet-iron. Let a slight 

 trench be opened, and after the water has sunk away, 

 replace the earth and pulverize it. In this way no baking 

 will take place. 



4. But the best method of watering by the root, is that 

 which is technically denominated mulching. Cover the 

 surface of the ground beneath the tree or shrub with three 

 or four inches thickness of coarse, strawy manure. If 

 watered through this the earth will not bake; the moisture 

 will not evaporate ; the root will be shielded from the sun, 

 and enriched by the infiltration of the juices of the manure. 



LABELS FOR TR E ES. 



IT is of great importance for every farmer to preserve the 

 names of his fruit-trees ; and no amateur cultivator should 

 think himself worthy of a name whose garden and fruit 

 ground is not registered and labelled. 



It is best in every case to have a fruit-book, in which 

 should be entered the name of each tree, its place, time of 

 planting, from whom obtained, how old it was from the 

 graft or bud, when set out, its size, condition, etc. 



Such a book, kept in the house, is a sure and permanent 

 record of the names of your fruit-trees. Beside this, each 

 tree should have a label attached to it. For, in passing 

 through an orchard or fruit garden, it is desirable to know 



