, 1860-12-28
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Agricultural.

all about it, but there are not few farm
ers that would have TO look in their die
tionary TO find out what it means. 1t i.
supposed, by many, 10 be some scientific ap
plication in husbandry that does not con
eern them, and never will even if it is moi
completely beyond and above their com
prehension. When we tell farmer tree
ought to be mulched, aud he asks how p
as honestly and innocently as il he never
saw 1t done, or did not practice it himself
tnconsciously, are we bound to laugh at his
ignorance, or chide him for his stupidity
Would it not be betraying our own want Of
sense OF course it would. And it i:
with the belief that there are very MANY
farmers that would be grateful for the in,
formation, that we have set about telling
what mulching is.
Spread straw thick on the ground about
the tree, and you mulch it, Cover a mead
oW with coarse straw, and yOu mulch it,
Cover the ground about your shrubbery
with tan bark or chip manure, and you are
mulching. Nature does her own muching
10 the forest. The covering of leaves that
fall and decay each successive season is q
mulch. What is the use Of mulching A? 1t
prevents evaporation Of water from the
soil; it protects the soil from the loss Of
ammonia keeps It light and moist during
Q drouth +; prevents baking kills weeds
We have seen whole orchards mulched with
sboDe-particularly peach orchards. Snow
Is q mulch it prevents freezing. You
know how bright and green the earth is
when q deep snow disappears after having
been on late. 1t is generally regarded as
Of little disadvantage to vegetation. 1t re-
tains the heat in the earth, combining aS
well as feeding ammonia. If you find I
necessary to seed your orchard to grass,
you must mulch. 1t will pay both in the
growth Of your trees aud their productive
ness. We have seen good crop Of pota-
tees grown on unplowed meadow land,
simply by being covered on the surface
with heavy straw mulch. Both heat and
moisture we're supplied they had no other
cultiVation.-Faymer.
SALr FOR FENCE Posrs.-A correspond
ent Of the ". II. Journal of AgrieELiHrt
set some white oak posts, about twelve
inches square, thirty years ago, and on ex
amining them recently, he found them all
sound After setting. ne bored into each
post, about three inches above the ground,
with q two-iDch augur, at an angle oi
about 45o, and filled the hole with salt and
plugged il mp. 1t took about half pint
Of salt TO each post. The plugs are yet in,
and the posts look as sound as when set.
THE TIA PLANr.-The New England
FdFM0 says the progress Of acclimatiZing
the tea plant, SO far as heard from, is IA
VOrable, and there is reason TO believe that
II can be grown IN the open air south Of
the northern line Of North Carolina and
Tennessee. Eighteen thousand plants have
been sent into the Southern region, and
eight thousand more have lately been dis
tributed to persons in the Northern States
owning greenhouses, as objects Of curiosity.
LOOK TO THE CHESTS OF YOUR ANNALS
A late writer says that wide, deep chest
Ia all auimals, is an indication Of robust
constitution, and is no doubt the point Of
shape to which breeders should look when
selecting either males or females. 1t is not
enough that bull or COW should show a
wide, full breast in front, but the width
should extend back along the brisket, and
show itself Just under and between the el.
bows. Fullness through the region Of the
heart Is Indispensable in either sex.
Mans IN FRUIr TREEs,-A singular fact,
worthy Of being recorded, was mentioned
to Hs, few days since, by Mr.. Alexander
Duke, Of Albermarle. He stated that
while on q visit 10 neighbor, his atten-
ton was called to large peach orchard,
every tree Of which was totally destroyed
By the ravages Of the worm, with the ex-
ceptiou of three, and these were the most
thrifty and aourishing peach trees that be
ever saw. The only cause Of their superi.
ority known TO his host was an experiment
made in consequence Of observing that
those parts Of wOrm-eaten timber into which
the nails had been driven were generally
sound. When his trees were abont year
old, be drove o tenpenuy nail through the
body as near the ground as possible
Whilst the balance of his orchard had
gradually failed, and finally yielded entire
" to the ravages Of the worms, three Of
tnbSe bEeebt belcCOeu ~ iauuOmI pSotSu
precisely in the same manner, with the ex-
cSptien Of mailing, had always been healthy,
furnishing him at the very period with the
greatest profusion of the most luscious
fruit. 1t is supposed that the salt Of iron
afforded by the nails is offensive to the
worm, while it is harmless, perhaps even
beneficial, to the tree. A chemical writer
on the subject says: The oxydation oil
rusting Of the iron by the sap, evolves am
mOnis, which, as the sap rises, will Of cours'
impregnate every particle Of the foliage
and prove too severe dose for the delicate
palate Of intrudiDg insects.
The writer recommends driving half {
dozen nails into the trunk. Several exper
iments Of the kind resu ted successfully
Charleston Mercury.
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