SUMMER DAYS 47 
layer of wet lawn clippings, more soil and a light 
top dressing of the clippings. 
Mulching is a summer task much more honored 
in the breach than in the observance. It is always 
beneficial, and when there is a long period with lit- 
tle or no rain it is the alternative of tedious water- 
ing. Sometimes water is so scarce that mulching 
is the gardner’s only solution. 
Either dry soil or lawn clippings and other vege- 
table matter may be used as a mulch. The dry 
soil is simply the surface of the ground kept loose 
by frequent cultivation—a good thing in summer 
even when the season is normal. Lawn clippings 
are an excellent mulch, but they must be spread 
very lightly as otherwise they heat. Or a thin layer 
of wet clippings with a litle dry soil on top may 
be used. Tall weeds—if there are no ripe seeds 
on them—flower stalks and discarded bouquets 
make good mulch when run through a hay chopper. 
Then there is leaf mold, but that is rarely at hand. 
Spraying with the hose toward evening always 
freshens plants in summer. But real watering has 
to be done only when digging into the ground a 
little shows plainly that the soil is abnormally dry; 
do not wait to find this out by the appearance of the 
plants themselves. Watering having to be done, 
do it thoroughly rather than frequently. Set the 
hose where the spray will fall like so much rain, 
and leave it there until the ground is well soaked; 
then water the next tract. A still better way to 
fight drought is to dig a circular trench around 
