156 The Cultivation of ili.e Pear. 



Mr. Walker. Mr. Haggerston had stated, very truly, that 

 over-mulchiiig was injurious ; he agreed with him ; he would 

 rather have none than too much. He never wished it placed 

 so thick but what he could see the ground in places, so that 

 the light, warmth and air might penetrate to the roots. One 

 material had not been mentioned which he had used, and 

 which he thought best ; this was leaves, which he valued 

 above ail others ; he always collected all the leaves from his 

 grounds, but he would prefer pear leaves for the pear tree, if 

 possible to get enough, and apple leaves for the apple tree ; 

 but if not, then he would take any he could get, oak, maple, 

 or a mixture of these and other kinds. 



Mr. Haggerston. Leaves were excellent; there was no 

 doubt of that ; but they must be properly prepared ; for if not 

 somewhat decayed they would be likely to blow away. He 

 had always thought an old hotbed made of strawy manure 

 and leaves the best mulching in the world. If leaves alone 

 are to be used, they should be placed in a heap half rotted, 

 and then applied to the ground. 



Mr. Hovey said that he apprehended the success of Mr. 

 Richardson's pear trees was owing to some more substantial 

 substance than loose sedge. He would not undertake to give 

 Mr. Richardson's mode of managing trees, as he could do that 

 himself ; still, for fear an undue importance might be given 

 to sedge from what he stated, he would say he thought their 

 vigor to arise from other causes. He had said his trees 

 were set out among his strawberry beds, and when he now 

 stated that every two years new beds were made, and load 

 after load of the richest manure dug in to an already good 

 rich soil, the secret of success was disclosed. It was the 

 bountiful supply of food and not the mulching of fine sedge 

 which enabled him to produce such fine pears. 



Mr. Cabot had used sedge for sometime, and had found it 

 excellent ; he presumed that in its decay it had some chemi- 

 cal effect, converting volatile salt into a muriate by the am- 

 monia of the atmosphere ; but though so good, he still 

 thought strawy manure best — especially if not too much 

 threshed, and well moistened with the drippings of the stable. 



