39 



desirable that the trees should be forced into abnormal growth for a 

 time by an excess of plant food, and then remain in an almost stationary 

 condition for a period. This state of affairs is injurious to the constitu- 

 tions of trees, and is possibly the cause of disease very often. The aim 

 of the cultivator should be to encourage moderate and regular growth, 

 in preference to that which is irregular. An annual and moderate^ 

 dressing of manure will therefore be better than heavier ones given 

 every two or three years. The most favourable times for applying 

 manure is while the trees are at rest, or when making the least growth. 



MULCHING. 



In this part of the world cultivators should adopt every possible 

 means for counteracting the effects of long summer droughts. To a 

 material extent this may be done by practising mulching, which is one 

 of the greatest aids to the cultivator in a warm climate during the 

 summer months. When the surface soil is covered with a layer of 

 litter, or other suitable material, it is protected from the direct effects of 

 a burning sun and drying winds. Consequently, the ground retains 

 moisture for a longer period than it would were the surface exposed, to 

 the great advantage of the trees. The retention of moisture for several 

 weeks longer than would be the case under other conditions may mean 

 the difference between success and failure, as the most critical time for 

 most fruit trees and shrubs is early in the summer, when the weather is 

 often very dry. Mulching may be applied with advantage to all kinds- 

 of fruits, and is a specially valuable practice in the drier parts of 

 Australia. It is also of great value in the cultivation of bush fruits, such 

 as Gooseberries, Currants and Raspberries, which are readily affected 

 by hot weather. Mulching should be applied early in the summer, 

 before the hot weather sets in, and while there is some moisture in the 

 surface soil. Too often the work is delayed till the soil has become 

 thoroughly dry, when, as a matter of course, less benefit will be derived 

 from the practice. The material used should be spread as far as the 

 roots extend, and ought to be kept away from the stems of the trees. 

 Too often instances are met with where the material is piled in a heap 

 round the stem, to the great detriment of the trees. Very frequently 

 trees are seriously injured when their stems are covered deeply, and 

 more especially if the material used is in a condition to ferment. 

 Another mistake, often made in mulching, is to cover the ground too 

 deeply. When this is the case the warmth of the sun cannot penetrate 

 the covering, and the ground is kept colder than it ought to be. From 

 4 to 5 inches will be a sufficient depth to mulch any kind of tree. 

 Various materials may be used for mulching, but cultivators necessarily 

 must use such as are most readily obtained. The best is long stable 

 manure, as this not only protects the surface soils, but also supplies 

 nourishment to the tree. Straw or grass makes a fairly good material 

 for mulching, and when a large area has to be treated should be specially 



