No. 129. J 297 



vated berries. Another sort I believe to be a hybrid. Straw- 

 berries have their rich taste and aroma all in the exterior layer 

 or coat, which is easily peeled off, leaving the core containing 

 only some acid. I had observed the tendency of soil in Avhich 

 much tannin existed, fiom old bark of trees, to give heavy cjops 

 of strawberries , and I have tried it by putting a gallon of tan 

 liquor into two hundred gallons of water and sprinkling some 

 strawberry beds witii it. iho difference is remarkable. Tiiose 

 to which the tannic acid had been applied were more regular in 

 figure, and of larger size and better quality than the others not 

 treated in the same manner. I have applied to some beds spent 

 tan, previously decomposed by chloride of lime and carbonate of 

 soda, (salt and lime mixture,) and with marked benefit. 



Uudecomposed spent tan is often applied to strawberry beds, 

 and is very beneficial as a mulch; straw is often applied in the 

 same way, answering the double purpose of a mulch and a coat- 

 ing to protect the fruit from contact with the sand. 



Secretary. — Will Prof Mapes explain what is meant by the 

 word mulch? 



Pi of. J\Ia2)es. — This term is applied to the covering of the 

 ground with some substance which will not prevent the entrance 

 of air and moisture into the soil, but will prevent the too diiect 

 actinn of the sun on the surface soil. It was first brought into 

 general use in England, by a Mr. Gurney, and hence the name 

 Gurneyi>ni, so often applied to this practice. As a confined space 

 of air is the best non-conductor of heat, a slight mulch causes a 

 portion of air at least to remain in a state of rest, and therefore 

 the soil is protected from sudden differences of temperature and 

 the effects (f the noonday's sun, and the chilling cold of night 

 are rendered less dissimilar. 



Mulch is used by pear-growers in n)id-summer, to prevent the 

 moisture received by the tree from being too hot, and thus 

 causing blight. It also prevents the loss liy diiy of the ammonia 

 received from dews at night, and in winter prevents the early- 

 rains from heing frozen in the immediate surface of the soil, and 

 debarring the easy ingress of water and atmosphere. 



