454 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ June 8, 1893. 
WATERING, MULCHING, AND SHADING. 
The question of watering is always recurring. In a period of 
drought such as wo are now experiencing an insufficient water 
supply makes itself felt to the worry of the responsible head, and 
often to the subordinate by the extra labour called for. I have 
lately heard from several gardeners about their troubles arising 
from a limited water supply, and also from a lady who, with a 
practically unlimited command of water, was afraid to allow its use 
in case it might prove detrimental, as she had been assured that 
artificial watering was always to be avoided. It is true that if 
watering can be avoided it is so much the better ; but cases are con¬ 
stantly occurring when it is wise to apply water. There is no law 
other than the judgment of the cultivator as to how much or 
when water may be applied. The judgment may be that of 
experience, or of an experimental kind, and be therefore either 
good or bad ; but we cannot define how or when to water so as to 
make it an easy subject to young cultivators. 
One particular phase of watering that I shall touch upon is that 
whereby the application of water leads to further supplies being 
required. A most common example of this kind occurs in the 
treatment of fruit trees. I have seen it exemplified over and over 
again. Theoretically the practice is right, but when reduced to the 
exigencies of everyday routine it breaks down. This is something 
like what happens. Fruit trees are planted and a quantity of turf 
employed in the process, or it may be trees are only root-pruned 
and the same plan pursued. In any case the lumps of turf are as 
sure to become quickly dry in a short period of drought as the roots 
of the tree are certain to penetrate the turf. Watering of course 
follows, and in all probability it is continued as the liquid can be 
spared. In a season like this there is a breakdown. Now, the best 
loam without fibre is quite as good as turf, and as it dries no more 
quickly than well cultivated soil does there is an apparent benefit 
secured by employing loam. The proper pulverization of the soil 
forms indeed a means of combating drought, which is perhaps not 
generally recognised. It is quite common to see men when digging 
making the surface of the soil very smoothly, while lumps are 
left unbroken in the trench or furrow, and I am certain, from a long 
trial, that it pays, not only in the conservation of moisture, but in 
many other ways, to break every clod which is turned over. 
And, indeed, the main reason for trenching and digging is found in 
its being the only means of breaking the soil into small particles. 
Another means of saving water consists in sowing deeply. It is 
not, perhaps, wise to cover the seeds deeply, but it is a good method 
to draw drills or even to make narrow trenches for seeds, though 
these drills and trenches need not be filled to the level. If 
water is required it is easily given by applying it along the 
depression left. Then, after becoming partial dry, let the depres¬ 
sion be filled with soil. This plan is equally good for plants. I 
always carry it out in dry weather alike for vegetable crops such as 
Lettuces, Broccolis, and Cabbages, as well as for flowering plants, 
such as Asters, Verbenas, Ageraturos, and indeed everything that 
is likely to suffer from drought before getting established. For 
plants such as Gladiolus growing on the level and already estab¬ 
lished, a drill is drawn out with a hoe close to the base of the 
plants. Along this drill the water is poured through a hose, and 
the soil thereafter pushed back. Of course when plants get large 
and the soil full of roots watering must consist in irrigating the 
land through and through, but at present few, if any, crops will 
require so much water. 
I was pleased to see, some weeks back, a writer recommending 
common salt as a means of producing moisture. It may not be 
generally known that all salts employed as manures have a like 
property. So have phosphatic manures, none so much, perhaps as 
superphosphate of lime ; but I notice that slag flour also exerts a 
wonderful influence on crops during a drought. In no instance is 
this principle so marked as in cases where any of these manures 
aave been applied during dry weather as a surface dressing to any 
crop whether of vegetables or of flowers. The plants in a very 
short time show that they experience benefit, growing as they do 
with enhanced vigour and producing foliage of a stouter texture 
and darker colour. 
To cereal crops I have this year applied a mulch of sifted 
compost. Tentatively I have employed the same material before, 
and the results justified the employment of more labour in extend¬ 
ing wbat had proved a valuable cultural help. Such a covering, 
however slight, acts as a non-conductor. It has, moreover, the 
additional advantage of being distinctly beneficial as a manure. 
In top-dressing a series of borders I ran short of a supply this 
spring. The difference in the dressed and undressed sections was 
very marked indeed ; no doubt in a way by conserving moisture, 
but certainly also by proving effective as a manure. 
labour as well as water may be saved if some attention is 
paid as to the time of application. Even in dry weather the sun 
does not shine every day nor all day long. Now I think it is not 
uncommon that hot sunny days are chosen in which to irrigate, 
and dull days are allowed to pass without being taken advantage of. 
A dull day is no doubt somewhat significant of rain, and therefore 
one hopes that watering may be avoided, but in reality these 
sunless days very seldom result in a downpour from the empty 
clouds ; so that it is advantageous to make the most of them and 
water everything that needs it, or that is likely to suffer from con¬ 
tinued drought. On sunny days the time to water is towards 
evening. Water is practically wasted when employed at any other 
time of day. 
I shall conclude with a note on watering plants in pots. I have 
already pointed out the rapidity that trees planted in turf require 
to be rewatered. So with potted plants. If a light fibrous turf 
forms the staple compost the amount of water required to keep 
plants in vigorous health will be much greater than in cases where 
a loam with little or no fibre is emplo}ed. Hence, also, that the 
gardener who succeeds with his plants is the one who studies the 
kind of soil in which they are potted, and who applies water 
accordingly. Of course, a fibrous turf is a safer medium, because, 
notwithstanding its aptitude to dry quickly, there is little danger 
to the plant from an overdose of water, such as there is in the case 
of non-fibrous composts. A very good rule in all cases is that 
which allows just sufficient water to reach the drainage of 
the pot without any great quantity escaping. It is a fact that 
only a per-centage of young gardeners ever grasp the situation 
and become expert at watering, and I may say that I have never 
known one who did clearly understand it who has failed to grow 
all kinds of plants well. 
But in addition to the application of water itself, I am sure 
that the distinct benefit of shading, however slightly, is greatly 
overlooked in the general cultural treatment of plants. When¬ 
ever the sun affects house-grown plants shade should be applied 
at once. A slight shading will do no harm whatever, whilst it 
certainly tends to keep the water-pot away, and at the same time 
obviates sudden and repeated dryness ; is easily applied and as 
readily removed. I have used it for some time. It is prepared 
by mixing whiting with a little linseed oil and water. It can be 
made of any required thickness, though a very thin mixture does 
for most plants. If required tinted, a little colouring matter such 
as employed by painters for distempering walls is added, suflfieient 
to give the desired tint. With the aid of a “stippling” brush a 
large surface is gone over expeditiously. I am certain that even 
such a slight shade as here recommended saves at least one-half 
in watering ; while in other respects no harm, but most generally 
benefit, to the plants is the result.—B. 
PACKING AUSTRALIAN FRUIT. 
In pursuance of a request that I would get together a small jury 
of expeits on fruit and fruit packing, the following gentlemen attended 
at the Imperial Institute on Friday, June 2nd Philip Crowley, Esq., 
F.R.H.S., F.L S., F.Z.S., &c., Chairman of the Royal Horticultural 
Society’s Fruit Committee ; Dr. Robert Hogg, LL.D., F.R.H.S., F.L.S., 
<kc., author of “ The Fruit Manual” and a member of the R.H.S. Fruit 
Committee; George Monro, Esq., F.R.H.S., importer and salesman of 
fruit, Covent Garden Market; James Webber, Esq , F.R.H.S., importer 
and salesman of fruit. Covent Garden Market; Rev. William Wilks, 
M.A., F.R.H.S., Master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, 
Secretary of the Royal Horticultural Society, and a member of the 
Fruit C. mmittee. 
The question laid before them was— 
1, To decide on the relative merits of the packing and general con¬ 
dition of samples of Apples and Pears from Melbourne. 
2, To furnish useful hints (if any required) for the better packing of 
the fruit, and its arrival (if possible) in better condition in future in this 
country. 
3, To offer suggestions as to the varieties sent. 
On the first head they were unanimously of opinion that the samples 
sent from Tumuc Valley, Pakenham, were both the best packed and in 
the better condition. 
On the second head they remarked that they were unable to commend 
the packing of either parcel. In the Neilson samples each fruit was 
enclosed in a paper bag, and the bags wedged in the cases with paper 
shavings. They considered bags in themselves undesirable, as prevent¬ 
ing the escape of the necessary moisture sweating out of the fruit. 
The paper of the=e bags was also of a kind calculated to retain 
moi.-tuie The Tumuc samples were loosely wrapped in squares of 
papf’r, which was considered the right method, and ihe paper was of a 
much better quality for the purpose. The Committee thought tissue 
paper the best. 
The “padding with paper shavings” was considered unnecessary, 
and tending to retain moisture and prevent free circulation of cold air, 
and in the cool chamber in transit. The Committee recommend that 
the fruit be picked earlier—that it should be in a less ripe state 
when packed; that each fruit should be folded in a square of tissue 
