The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-10-18

SnOQlO De covered al OFti TIC OHullC
surface as the tree roots reach and inter-
lace with each other.
d. w. KAUFMAN.
MULCHING subject, which is
gaining additional prominence every
| year, owes much Of its unpopularity to
the abuse of its own application. | nave
in my minds eye an instance that illus
trates the damage done the system, SIM
ply by employing workman who were
not conversant with the principles in
volved. What could ever induce a IA
tional being to cover the surface or an
orchard two feet deep with straw, is
more than the majority Of fruit growers
could possibly guess, and yet such was
the fact, Of course it injured the trees,
soured the soil, and made capital home
for all manner of injurious insects, be-
sides whole villages of mice. The adj
vantages to be derived from the use of
mulching material may be summed up
somewhat as follows:
First, the desire to keep the soil mod
erately moistand cool.
Secondly, to prevent the surface from
baking hard through the combined in
, fluences eli the rays of the sun and the
high winds.
{ Thirdly, as preventative from weeds
For newly planted trees all of these are
, necessities; the mulch preserves the sur
, face moist and cool, and this is precisely
the condition under which young tibres
: are formed. Itkeeps the soil open and
: porus, another sine laa non for the form
} alton and growth OF young roofs. That
it smothers out the numerous weeds
that would invariably start, was the sur
r face not protected, is /; selt-evident tact.
| For three or four seasons past we IN
the middle states have suffered terribly
. from the severity of the drouths, and
e had 1t not been tor the btneiclal effects
+ OF mulching, in many instances the
3 losses would have been trignttul. Para
doxical as it may appear, water applied
as we will, does not answer the purpose
$ altogether We. need something more
| shade is absolutely essential, together
5 with an equal temperature. Nature sets
), us an example in this respect IN the fall
It o. snow 1t is not SO much the moisture
e contained in the covering that falls SC
t lightly aad covers up our plants SO even
l. "; not at all. 1t is the adequate pro
lection afforded the roots, thai no mat
e ter how severe the succeeding weathel
q may be, these are preserved cool ant
1t Interchangeable SO long as the snow shall
ir last know not OF more beautiful IL
IS lustration in horticulture than this les
a SON that nature vouchsaies to teach US
re The material should compose oul
II mulch differs with the plants to be pro
,e tracted, as well as with the season whel
es it is applied. We may rest satisfied
st however, that all green or untermente,
at substances are deleterious in their ma
s. ture and not unfrequen tly do more narn
he than good We occasionally hear OF in
s. stances, however, where such have bee
n. used with good effect, as for exampl
* the use OF the turnip tops Tor mulchin
ed strawberry beds, still the principle
bad and should be discouraged. He;
ot and moisture engender decomposition
It green vegetable tissue, and the hes
re consequent upon rapid decomposition
I'd very injurious to plant life, when place
IN in immediate juxtaposition therewiti
of 1t calls into active lite innumerable torn
he of fungold structure, many OF which al
in the forerunners of disease, and all al
is dcleterous in the effect upon the healt
re- of the higher orders of vegetation.
he forms proper hot-bed for the propag;
err ton and dissemination Of III lions Of II
Ter sects, the greater portion OF whie
Tvs damage the roots and bark Of our tire
he and plants. And, lastly. it imparts
m sour and saddened character to the Sc
The beneath. which must effect the well-b
rec ing of the plant
bv What are the best materials TO
las used is not so easily answered, althous
mo- there are some things like spent Ia
ug bark that really seems adapted to almo
ere all manner Of plants The healthie
pear trees ever saw were kept co
yo. stantly mulcned with good thick co
in of this, and each autumn slight sprin
Ter ling OF well rotted manure was scatter
nd over the surface Tan-bark is apple
to BILE 10 most kinds OF growing plant
or from the largest orchard trees to I
ne strawberry beds in the garden. Stra
ons not too long. and pliable, cannot well
not excelled 1t is clean and affords ples
till ant shade devoid OF any delet-rious
wn iects. Hay do not ike, unless We
or coarse, and green grass kills more tn
one it cures Manure should never be US
hus in fresh state, although such Is ocs
.ry. sionally resortedto around large trees.
it's Plants in pots, that is the ordina
.ms varieties usually grown for this purpo
or including roses, are greatly benefited
,ur- q slight mulch of old hot-Ded manu-
nv Ard csnifers, too, show the effect of Il