89 
that when the mulching becomes thin, or when a protracted 
drought ensues, the trees often perish. Mulching is in no way 
superior to the thorough cultivation of the ground by means of 
the harrows and horse-hoes, by means of which a dry earth mulch 
is maintained. By this means, however, the land gets parched, 
and nitrification in the soil consequently checked, unless the culti- 
vation is frequent and thorough, which is not always practicable. 
An effective method is to scatter evenly over the ground short fibre 
manure or litter by means of the cultivator or with the hoe. After 
some time, when the appearance of weeds make it necessary, the 
cultivation is repeated. By this means the moisture is just as 
effectively conserved in the ground, and the roots grow in their 
proper ‘position. On steep inclines though, where the field imple- 
ments cannot conveniently be worked, or in raising rooted vines 
and trees in the nursery, mulching is found of great use for 
smothering the weeds and keeping the soil cool and moist. 
When rotted manure is used for mulching, it is not only 
protective, but also nutritive. 
Showing at A the proper place to mulch or water. 
It is generally wrongly applied right around the stem (B), 
where there is no need for it and where it may be injurious, instead 
of in a ring (a) some distance away. When thus placed it effectu- 
ally protects the active rootlets underneath, and the drainage of 
any manure which is washed down reaches those feeding roots. 
GRAFTING 
consists in inserting into the root, the stem, or the branch, as 
the ease may be, of a plant host, known as the stock, a part of 
another plant, which is called the scion. 
