Try Mulching

Hifl)igaii JUgns, Fr jm the imcrcin Agricultumt. ly múlcftinx, tht inoxperience 5 ronder wil! understaml [hut we iuca.ii the 1 laoing of Lfeaves, sirnw, rofusu hi;y, grasp, or other material, iipon tlesuViaco i:f iliiïsoi', arninii.! the bnsoof fruit tii-e, and variotia wilier plants. VVo hope (ivory reader of the Agrwuïlurist will lonk ii.to the benefits of this procesa, It h p.-miblo, dqubi'ea, to over-rate the i ;:i r t-.iin-.i: uf tho practico, but there is little dnnger oí it. To onr view, it isn:nMt' the IBOSt usuiii! procc.--.sos ;i orvhnrd and pardon eu!r. uro. Of endree, it UoM'to bê etnploveil without ragurd to ti-mo and aenson. It.s vahie appours chieHys in time 1' drouth, preserving :i heulthful moisturè of the surface ol tbesoií. Italsosuvas hoc-labor in feeeping down weedsand Bonrüying tbe earth about treea and plant. [f a fruit-garden is not oarefully llllcd ia niid summer, tho grouod bëc"mes hard nod dry, nnd an army ojf weeds invade it, whieli bv the evapora tion ffom thelrleaves pntnp tno soilstij) drier than it would bo if bare yf vegetntion. But cover the ground betweei nnd around tho trees w.tli a-ïcw inches tl.ick pi forest Ieave8,or straw, or tanbaik, o cd tho bou will continue moist, and few weeds wijl appear, The trees, top, vvill inftkü a butler growth. Y& mulching should bsapplied wit some care and discriminatioD. For inb tn nee; it sbould soldom bo used in early öummer, exceptin case of newly. plutited treos. From Aprti to June, it would bo bettér to keep the Boil clean and looso with Üi'e cultivator and hoe ; for, il covored earliet. it would keap out tho genial heat of the sun, and so retard the growth cf bnth leaves and roots. Wait nniil the ground gete we!l warmed and vivitied, until the manure havu beon wtrll workud into the soil by the hoe, and until the ordinary rains and dews of early Sumraer seem insulïicient to keep the grouod properly moM'; then put on the blanket of leavea, or straw, or refuso hay, or cut weeds. tío treated,it will matter iiule whether it rains or not, for several ivoo!;s at a timé, for the mulch will arrest the inoisture ahvays rising frora the sübsoil, and prevent tbe evaporatión. Tho hoe, too, may ocaso :ts fight of the weeds for a long time. Again; tho muloh should, in most cases, be removed before the close of the season. If kept on late into Autumn, it will 'serve to keep the groimd about the roots of the trees warm and moiat, and so excite continued growth at a time whon it shou.'d have ceased, and tho forees of the tree be spent in ripeningwood preparatory to Winter. The neglect of this procaution may account, in part, for tbe winter-killing of many fine dwarf atsd other pear trees There s an other reason, too. for this; if the mulch of hay or straw be lof l around young trees in Winter, it will be quite suro to afïbrd a nesting'place tor niice. Let it then be removed, say about the middle of September or tbo first of October. Early in November, supply its place with a hillöck of common soil around the tfi'nk, to repel verïnin. As alroady intimated, mulching is very important in the case of newly plantod trees, shrubs, and vines. The inangled roots very soon send oQ tbe moisture they pos.soss, or can gather from the eurroundiüg soi', and it ia very important to supply their lack artifically, until they get re-eetablished, and in acundition to gather water for themselves. This can be done, eitherby watering the roots frequently, or by mulching thein. The firet method eve-i ry experionced planter knows is open to many objections : it is an unnaturu! remedy, it usually packs the ground too touch, it is laborious, and is not ahvays suc?essful, Tho latter has everything to recomrnend it; it is nature 's plan for protecting roots, it is easily and quickly done, and is generally successful. - "Water may perhags bo wisely appliéd once, at the time of replanting, but it will seldom be needed again, Among decidnous trees, there is none that demands this treattnent more than the cherry. From the neglect of it, many fine collections perish ovory year. And if decid uous trees reqnire mulching, much more do evergreens. Thcir foliage ahvays full and expanded, eerves to evapórate the moisture of the roots very fast. At the time of re setting, thoy should be plentifully water ed, and then tho soil over the roots should be covered with leaves and flat etones to keep thain down, or with ppent tanbark. With this little care, even the fastidious Hemlock willl accommodato itsell to nevv soils and exposures. For shading the ground nbout newiy planted shrub.s, grapevines, strawberries, cuttings and the like, nothing is better than chopped straw, or, (whieh looks botter) newly mown grass. Ii water is appliod soon írom a watering pot, it will make the molch üe Hat upon the ground, and it will remain thore all Summer.