TIIE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[March 7. 
30G 
of the solar and atmospheric influences, whilst these j 
advantages are withheld from the roots ? Strange 
that persons who know that bottom-heat is necessary 
to induce a cutting to emit roots, should in practice 
admit that, in its subsequent stnges of growth, the 
plant is benefited by keeping its roots cooler than 
its head. Those persons who grow grapes, and who 
unfortunately have the vines placed in the border, 
find their great difficulty to be when the roots are 
chilled by cold rains in the early part of the season, 
whilst the leaves and fruit are growing under glass in 
a temperature of, perhaps, 20° above that in. which 
the roots are placed. Why then voluntarily attempt 
to create an almost equal ‘difficulty,’ by keeping the 
roots of a tree in the border several degrees below the 
temperature which the other parts enjoy? 
“ ft is admitted, that the practice of mulching trees 
in hot weather greatly diminishes the labour of water¬ 
ing them. But, then, it should be considered, 
whether this advantage is not obtained by sacrifices 
that more than counterbalance the benefit. In other 
words, that by depriving the roots of the advantages 
of the solar and atmospheric influences, by surround¬ 
ing the tree with heavy coatings of dung, a greater 
injury is perpetrated than can be compensated by 
the diminished labour of watering. And, with re 
spect to the benefit which it is alleged that the tree 
derives from the mulching, in the form of liquid- 
manure from the rains, &c.,it may be briefly answered 
that, after the mulching has been exposed for a few 
weeks to the action of the sun and air, its nutritive 
properties have been already, for the most part, 
washed into the ground, or dissipated into the atmo¬ 
sphere, and the mulching reduced almost to a mere 
coput mortuum; encumbering the plant, and depri- * 
ving the root of the beneficial influences of the sun 
and air. The occasional applications of liquid-ma¬ 
nure would, surely, more effectually invigorate the 
tree, whilst the ground could in that case be kept 
open by the repeated use of the fork and the rake. 
“ But the mulching of trees has, doubtless, its 
uses, and very important uses too. Every tree planted 
in the autumn should be mulched, but for the very 
contrary reason of keeping the ‘ roots cool.’ These 
trees should be mulched for the purpose of retaining 
as long as possible the solar heat imparted to the 
earth during the preceding season, and to prevent the 
roots from being paralysed by the frost; enabling them 
thereby, on the return of spring, to second the efforts 
of the head, in producing a regular and effective cir¬ 
culation of the sap. Eor if the condition of the roots 
and the other parts of a tree be dissimilar, the cir¬ 
culation of the sap must, in that case, be disturbed; 
and hence, probably, one prominent cause of 1 green 
eye in the flower, and premature falling of the fruit. 
Whereas, if all the parts of a tree be growing in an 
equable temperature, and all, as nearly as can be 
effected, receiving the benefits of the sun and air, the 
condition of the tree will then be harmonised, and a 
regular and healthful flow of sap in all its parts be 
promoted.” 
The florist’s theory of mulching his dahlias, so 
justly animadverted upon by our correspondent, is a 
fair specimen of the reasoning powers of a large 
class of cultivators, whose practice is founded on 
scientific truths, but whose explanation of that prac¬ 
tice is the very reverse of scientific. Our correspon¬ 
dent’s observations deserve the attention of cultiva- • 
tors. Mulching need not, and indeed should not, be j 
of a nature to exclude the influence of atmospheric i 
heat, and we quite agree with him about the ques¬ 
tionable benefit of enriching a border through the 
agency of mulching, for, at the most, the enrichment 
. to a soil derived from the practice, is merely a secon¬ 
dary consideration. The objects most important to 
be secured by its employment, and for which alone 
it should ever he adopted by the gardener, are to 
check evaporation from the soil, and to prevent it 
becoming wet and chilled. When the first object 
has to be attained, the mulch is best placed over 
the roots about two inches below the surface, and 
then the earth returned over the mulch. To exclude 
rain, and to retain the temperature of the soil, the 
mulch is best placed upon the surface, and covered 
with a tarpaulin or reed panels. Neither, to attain 
one of these desired objects, warmth in the soil, 
ought the mulch to be kept over the surface conti¬ 
nually, but, upon the occurrence of every sunny 
mild day, it should be taken off during the middle 
of the day, and returned about three o’clock. By 
such judicious attention, the heat to be accumulated 
in a given spot of soil will far exceed that in the sur¬ 
rounding soil not similarly treated. 
THE FRUIT-GARDEN. 
Strawberry Forcing. —By referring to page 138, it 
will be seen that the general principles of strawberry 
forcing were discussed; we are tempted again to 
make a few farther observations before the season 
draws to a close. We advised a very cautious mode 
of procedure at that early period as to watering, and 
not hurrying them ; and such, at an early season, is 
peculiarly necessary. Now, however, some of these 
cautions become shorn of their weight in some de¬ 
gree ; and the principal care now necessary will be 
to see that they do not suffer for want of water, or 
from too high a temperature. Some of our amateur 
friends may have conveniences for a regular succes¬ 
sion of forced strawberries, so as to have some ripe 
from the time this reaches our readers until they 
ripen in the open ground. But this is not the case 
with the majority; and to those who can ill spare 
house or pit room, we say do not introduce any to 
heat until the middle of February, when the produce 
will be much more certain, as well as of much higher 
quality; then good strawberries may be gathered a 
month before those in tho open ground. 
We may now direct special attention to a point or 
two of much importance, and although adverted to 
at page 39, and again at page 139, we may, perhaps, 
be excused for glancing at it again. 
Watering .—We advise the use of ordinary water 
until the moment the truss of blossoms may be dis¬ 
covered just emerging from its socket; then, a regu¬ 
lar system of manure watering may be resorted to; 
for unless the bloom stalk shoots with freedom, so as 
to throw the berries ultimately beyond the rim of the 
pot, there is small chance of success; not that the 
berries would not swell when nearer home, but that 
this dumpy character argues a want of power in the 
plant—a root action inadequate to the proper supply 
of the plant. 
We have before, at page 140, suggested the use of 
guano-water ; we now beg to say that a favourite 
i plan with us—indeed the only one we have recourse 
i to at present, in all cases where liquid manure is 
