June 12, 1884. ] 
459 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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Royal Society at 4.30 P.M. 
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1st Sunday after Trinity. 
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Royal Eotrnic Society’s Show. York Floral Pete (three days). 
WATERING, MULCHING, AND TOP-DRESSING. 
^ONCERNING the necessity of these operations 
both under glass and in the open it is needless 
to speak ; hut I question if all fully realise their 
importance in relation to each other, or, in other 
words, whether watering is not too often solely 
relied upon. In numerous cases, if there is a 
necessity for watering there is also a necessity 
for mulching, and in some instances if the latter 
were attended to in good time watering might 
he dispensed with. What is generally termed mulching is 
giving a liberal surface-dressing of rough manure, litter, or 
grass, and is intended to prevent too rapid loss of moisture 
by evaporation from the soil. Top-dressings, as distinguished 
from mulchings, take the form of decomposed manure, leaf 
soil, lime rubbish, burnt refuse, or a mixture of these or 
other fertilising substances with good loamy soil. This, 
besides to a certain extent acting as a mulching, also serves 
to attract the roots near the surface. 
In all cases, however, some judgment must be exercised 
with regard to the subsequent waterings, more especially 
under glass, or, instead of mulchings and top-dressings being 
of great service, they may become a source of much injury. 
Much depends upon the nature of the borders and the mate¬ 
rial used in mulching. One of the greatest mistakes I ever 
made was to top-dress our Peach borders with fresh straw 
manure from the cowyard. This border is of a heavy cold 
nature, and so also is cowyard manure, besides being a very 
bad heat-conductor. As a consequence, our borders never 
became thoroughly warmed during the dull summer experi¬ 
enced, and mildew and “yellows” were in the ascendant. 
Then, again, this kind of manure whenever at all exposed 
(and if the borders are not exposed there is little necessity 
for mulching) is very apt to become badly caked over, and in 
this state greatly interferes with free watering, besides 
becoming useless as a manure. If the border is rich enough, 
the roots being near the surface and plenty of liquid manure 
available, I consider straw litter from the horse stables the 
best mulching for fruit borders under glass, and this we now 
rely upon for the Peach borders. For all exposed and par¬ 
tially exhausted borders, both inside and outside, I should 
recommend that they be given a liberal dressing of short or 
half-decayed manure, this being covered with a little fresh 
strawy litter, without which the manure is almost certain to 
become hard and dry ; and in that state, although preventing 
rapid evaporation, it is not attractive to the roots. If we 
preserve plenty of roots near the surface fruit-growing is 
comparatively easy, but the case is very different if either by 
excessive coldness or dryness a deep-rooting tendency is 
induced. For my part I am arriving at the conclusion that 
we attach too much importance to deep culture for vegetables 
as well as fruit, and I firmly believe nearly everything would 
thrive better if the manure were well mixed with the surface 
soil. 
Probably the best material for attracting roots to the 
No. 207.— Vol. VIII., Third Series. 
surface is leaf soil, and this, if not spoilt, evidently contains 
more plant food than many of us were at one time aware. 
This with turfy loam forms an excellent top-dressing for 
Cucumbers and Melons, being far preferable to manure, 
which I have repeatedly found breeds insects injurious to the 
roots, as well as gradually bringing the whole heap to an 
objectionable close state. All free-rooting plants delight in 
a loose open soil; in fact, Mr. Challis at Wilton is able to 
grow better early Grapes on Vines rooting in a border com¬ 
posed exclusively of broken bricks, charcoal, mortar rubbish, 
and bones than many are able to do in the orthodox close 
and rich borders. It must be remembered, however, that the 
more open the border the greater need for frequent liberal 
supplies of water; also if we top-dress any kind of border, 
mounds of soil, box or pot plants, we must bear in mind that 
this will not greatly affect or check the absorption of the 
moisture by the roots from the soil underneath, and thus we 
must not mulch dry soil, or the consequence may be distressing. 
Before a top-dressing is applied care should be taken to loosen 
the surface of the soil and give a good watering, as if it is placed 
on a dry hard surface it will not amalgamate, being therefore 
worse than thrown away. I have seen plants of Tomatoes, 
Melons, and Cucumbers, and borders for other fruit trees 
and Vines that have been top-dressed, in some cases filling 
the new soil with roots, and yet the plants or trees have done 
badly. This was simply owing to those in charge judging 
of the plants’ requirements by the state of the surface soil, 
whereas this ought scarcely to be heeded, the amount of 
water given daily or otherwise being always in such cases in 
accordance with what was done prior to the top-dressing. If 
once a small body of soil which is fully occupied with roots 
is allowed to become thoroughly dry it is a difficult matter 
to moisten it again, except by dipping; and that is the secret 
of the failures alluded to, as a moist top-dressing may easily, 
and often does, cover dry soil. By all means top-dress, but 
look well to the subsequent watering. 
Large inside Vine or other fruit borders, and which we 
are constantly and rightly informed require frequent heavy 
waterings, I would mulch only where much exposed to sun 
or fire heat, preferring rather to occasionally lightly top-dress 
with decayed manure or leaf soil to which is added some 
artificial manure, soot, or guano ; or, better still, dried night 
soil as prepared and used so effectively by Mr. Taylor when 
at Longleat, this admitting of the surface being lightly 
loosened with a fork and then thoroughly soaked. Rough 
heavy mulchings interfere with the waterings, and we may 
easily be deceived as to the amount or thoroughness of the 
applications. 
In the open ground mulchings are of the greatest value, 
especially for newly planted fruit trees and those growing in 
raised hot borders. In the case of young trees, which perhaps 
require no manure, straw litter is sufficient, though we may 
easily err on the wrong side with them ; but well-established 
Peach, Nectarine, Apricot, Plums, Pears, Cherries, Rasp¬ 
berries, Gooseberries, Currants, and Strawberries will gene¬ 
rally be benefited by a mulching of short manure surfaced 
with straw litter, applied directly after the next soaking 
rain or heavy watering. Strawberries and Raspberries 
especially require this treatment, as they ought never to be 
dug amongst, and must therefore be manured from the surfacs; 
the straw, being soon washed by the rains, also serving to 
keep the Strawberries clean. In town and suburban gardens 
where the “Companies’” water is laid on, those owning 
them sometimes over-estimate the value of the supply, and 
are, I think, rather too lavish with the hose.. An almost 
daily deluge of cold hard water greatly impoverishes the soil 
and maintains it at much too low a temperature. Better by 
far run the water into an open cistern to become softened 
and warmed, and then apply it with the watering can, not 
forgetting also to mulch freely, and thereby do away with 
the necessity of so many waterings. If fruit trees, rows of 
Raspberries, Strawberries, Peas, Beans, and other vegetable 
No. 1863 —Vol. LXX., Old Series. 
