March 1907. 



185 



HORTICULTURE. 



MULCHING. 



The term " Mulching " is often used in gardening literature. To the pro- 

 fessional gardener the meaning and application of the term is clear enough ; but 

 we are ofben asked by amateurs to- explain the exact significance and uses of 

 mulching. They say, in effect ; "In your issue of so-and-so, I find the following: 

 'A good mulch at this season will be found very beneficial ! ' What is a 'mulch'? 

 and how do you do it " ? It may therefore be useful to explain fully for the benefit 

 of our amateur reader* what mulching is. In brief, it is the process of applying 

 various substances as a covering for soil above the roots of trees and plants, in 

 order to prevent evaporation, and so preserve a uniform degree of heat and 

 moisture. Mulching is also practised for other reasons, more particularly, that 

 of supplying a top-dressing of rich manure to established plants, so that its 

 nutritive properties may be washed down by rain or artificial watering. All 

 recently transplanted trees and shrubs, especially fruit trees, are greatly assisted 

 by being provided with a mulching of litter, half-rotted manure, leaves of some- 

 thing of a similar nature. This acts beneficially in retaining warmth and moisture, 

 thus materially neutralising the evil effects of drought, extreme cold or heat. 

 Straw chaff, short litter, coconut fibre and spent tan are considered to be excellent 

 non-conductors, where enriching properties are not required. For plants and trees 

 needing help in summer, to perfect their flowers or fruit, a mulching of fresh 

 horsedung, or good rotten manure, laid on the surface of the soil, and well watered 

 occasionally, is often found of immense permanent benefit. Such are the uses of 

 mulching, as applied to regions situated in temperate zones— our hill stations 

 for example. 



On the plains of India, where the temperature in the summer and rainy 

 months may be anywhere between 90 and 115 degrees Pahr., the uses of mulching 

 have to be carefully considered. For instance, if fresh horse-dung were applied to 

 fruit trees during the summer, there would soon be set up very high fermentation, 

 and a great variety of insects would soon establish themselves in the mulch, some 

 of which might do incalculable harm to the trees. There might arise a colouy of 

 white ants, for example, which might do more damage than the good effects of 

 the mulch. Such a contingency would undoubtedly arise in the United Provinces, 

 for instance, in Raj putana, Sind, and other dry regions, where the termite is one 

 of the worst enemies the gardener has to deal with. On the other hand, a mulch 

 is given on the hills, say in December, would not only supply heat and moisture 

 in the winter, but keep the roots moist in the dry summer, when water is very 

 scarce, and orchards and gardens suffer from a prolonged drought. Falling leaves 

 in forests afford a valuable mulch to the trees. They supply humus to the soil, 

 and retain the moisture in the soil during the seasons of scanty rainfall and pro- 

 longed droughts. The removal of these leaves is serious loss to forests, and the 

 Forest Department should, we consider, make it a rule not to allow the removal 

 of fallen leaves by natives, who use them for fuel, thereby depriving the soil of 

 valuable manurial agencies. In gardeus on the plains fallen leaves are usually 

 gathered and stored in pits for leaf mould. No doubt this is a very useful purpose 

 to which leaves can be applied ; but where there is always a prospect of a short 

 rainfall and a season of drought, these leaves might with great advantage be used 

 for mulching fruit trees and other plants likely to suffer much from dryness or 

 short water supply. On most of our hill stations there is very thick vegetation, 

 and the accumulation of humus is unusually large. There is therefore no harm in 

 taking some of this for use in the garden for purposes of mulching. In the tea 



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