THE HAEDY FRUIT GARDEX. 



175 



for these microscopic plants, which, nearly all come 

 xmder the genus Erysiphe. 



Mildew is invariably caused by keeping plants in 

 an atmosphere which is too damp, or the roots too 

 dry, and in which there is little or no circulation 

 of air. It is rarely foimd where there is any 

 di-aught or current of aii-. Roses are particularly 

 liable to it. 



The best cure for it is to dust flowers of sidphur 

 over the part affected, and this should be done as 

 soon as possible ; for these minute fungi grow and 

 spread with wonderful rapidity, and the sooner they 

 are killed the less will be the injui-y to the plant. 



THE HAEDY FEUIT GARDEN. 



By D. T. Fish, assisted bt William Carmichael. 



TKB GENERAL CULTIVATIOX OF THE APPLE. 



HAYIXG planted the trees in proper soil, in the 

 most skilful maimer, pruned and trained 

 them into form, and moulded them into fertility, 

 there are yet several things to be attended to, 

 that may be most properly designated general culti- 

 vation. Among these the more important are sur- 

 face mulching, watering, protection of the blossom, 

 thinning the fruit, perfect development of the fruit, 

 tests of ripeness, gathering, storing, and packing. 



Mulching.— On light soils and in diy localities, 

 few practices are more useful in Apple cultm-e than 

 the application of a surface mulch. It may consist 

 of almost anything, from moss or short grass to 

 sheer manure. The first would be chiefly conserva- 

 tative and passive ; the second, active and manuiial. 

 It would be difficult to say which of those qualities 

 in mulches are the more useful. The first conserves 

 the strength and moisture of the soil, the latter adds 

 to its strength, while also husbanding its moisture. 

 Both classes of mulch also exert a third effect, per- 

 haps of equal or greater cultural importance than 

 either of the two named. They attract the roots 

 near to the surface, and keep them there ; for though 

 it be true, as so clearly shown in our Life-History of 

 Plants, that roots naturally, and in spite at times 

 of many obstacles, dig their way downwards, it is 

 equally true, though not to the same extent or de- 

 gTee, that they will come up into surface mulches, if 

 of tempting quality and properly applied. And this 

 apparently on the vulgar principle, by no means 

 confined to the roots of plants, of finding their way 

 to the best larder, and having found it, remaining in 

 it. But unprofessional readers will naturally ask 

 what is a mulch ? It is, in brief, a layer of manure or 



other loose material, spread over the surface of the 

 ground. In practice, mulches vary as much in 

 thickness as in quality. They range in depth from 

 an inch to six inches or more. Three inches is a 

 good average depth. If too fleet, a week's ch'ought 

 shrivels them up into worthlessness or nothingness ; 

 if too deep, they lose somewhat of then- efficiency. 

 As a mulch to be effective must be composed of 

 loose, and consequently slow- conducting materials, 

 the soil under a deep mulch in summer would 

 rise but little above its normal winter temperature. 

 A deep mulch consequently means a cold root-run, 

 which might suit Apples well in Devonshire, and 

 chill them into canker and mildew in Cumberland or 

 Scotland. In fact, in the Xorth, say beyond York, 

 the roots of Apple-trees need little or no mulches, 

 and those applied should be finer — that is, less 

 powerful — than those used in the ^Midland or 

 Southern Counties. 



Materials for Mulclies. — Partially decom- 

 posed hot-bed and farm-yard manures, spent mush- 

 room beds, and leaves of trees, rough cocoa-fibre 

 refuse, wood and coal ashes, moss, short grass, long 

 litter, turfy loam, or other loose soil, spent tan, 

 rotten rags, or other refuse, are among the cheapest 

 and most efficient materials for mulches. Where 

 the soil is poor, and the trees are weakly, the 

 stronger of the above, or even a thin surface cover- 

 ing of horse-droppings, sheep and cow manure, hen 

 or pigeon's dung may be used. The two latter, 

 however, should be mixed with four- times their 

 bulk of fresh loam, and allowed to decompose for 

 six or twelve months before being applied to Apple 

 or other trees ; otherwise such powerful stimulants 

 fail to attract the roots, and should they do so, would 

 greatly injure them, being so powerful as to bum 

 them, as gardeners call it. Of course, exposure on 

 the sui'face quickly decomposes and sweetens the 

 manui'es, but unless under exceptional circumstances 

 the lighter mulches, such as spent mushroom-beds, 

 cocoa-fibre refuse, and old hot-beds, are the more 

 suitable for Apple and other fmit trees. 



Watering. — During spells of drought, one or 

 more good soakings of water are of the greatest use 

 to Apple-trees. True, the surface mulching by 

 checking evaporation renders less water necessary- ; 

 it also renders artificial watering far more efficient 

 by conserving the whole of it for the use of the 

 roots. By checking evaporation, it also keeps the 

 roots warm — a point of great moment — for one of 

 the greatest drawbacks to copious waterings in the 

 open air during bright, hot weather, is the chill 

 thus given to the roots through the energy of evapo- 

 ration from the moist surface. 



