104 MULCHING. 



themselves again; this is almost certain to 

 be the case when there is a frequent alter- 

 nation of frost and thaw. The stronger the 

 roots, the less they will suffer; and the more 

 strong roots a tree has, the less is the mis- 

 chief from the cause described. 



I extend the use of this practice further 

 than to newly planted trees; I do it to all 

 Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots, and Vines; 

 the reason for this is, that it protects and 

 encourages those young roots that are near- 

 est to the bole of the tree, which I always 

 endeavour to do. For when a tree comes 

 to be removed, or the roots require cutting 

 in and the border renovated, it is conducive 

 to their future establishment and success, to 

 have young roots so situated, up to which 

 some of the older ones may be pruned away. 



The article which I use for mulching with, 

 is either littery manure or old spent bark; 

 this must be laid about six inches thick over 

 the roots, and to newly planted trees the 

 extent of three feet from the bole, but to 

 large established ones five or six feet, when 

 the border will admit of it. If the border 

 be cropped, it must be laid between the 

 plants when convenient. 



To newly planted trees the mulch is laid 

 over the roots immediately after they are 

 planted, and remains both summer and win- 

 ter for the first two or three years, only 

 removing it every year at the end of autumn. 



