Mulching.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 4536, 13 December 1884, Page 4

Mulching.

Thebe cannot be too much said in reference ■ to mulching ; not only the crops in the, kitchen garden, but the flower beds as well, are greatly benefitted by it. During the hot dry, summers we get, vegetation suffers considerably—more especially on heavy strong soil, from its tendency to crack intodeep fissure,?, and thus rapidly part with its moisture. Light sandy soils do not suffer go much, as the body of soil remains more intact. Thereisavastdifference in the power of soils, often even in the same locality, to absorb heat more than others ; also, in a measure, tho position or aspect they assume to the sun's rays causes them to absorb inoro heat, consequently they part with their moisture quicker than those which do not receive so many of the sun's rays. It does not matter what aspect or what qualities tho soils possess : all will be greatly bene-. fitted by being mulched with a thin covering of some non-absorbent material. The latter with some retentive qualities, of course, will be the best for the purpose. In all cases where plants will be benefitted by a little extra nourishment, halt - rotted stable manure makes a capital mulch. On plants that, are not so needful of extra help, I would use grass, straw, and materials of similar, quality, from which the plants will derive much benefit, and the saving in labour by watering will be considerable. Our Chinese market gardeners always mulch, and this is one of the reasons why they produce good crops of succulent vegetables all the season through. They have been taught in the Chinese hot climate the benefits to be derived. It is a lesson that British gardeners are past learning.. JC would only add that the providing' of mulchy materials for nearly the whole garden ought to be as great a consideration every season as the providing of manure to enrich it. ,

The Chinese Yam.— This esculent has, in its manner of growth and uses, much in common with the sweet patato. It belongs to the genus Dioscoroia with the tropical yams, which are much used for food in warm countries, their large farinaceous roots serving as a substitute for potatoes. These dioscorma edulis dolala, &c, are natives of the East Indies, but having been early taken to the West Indies and other parts of tropical America, they are both cultivated and naturalised. Their roots, often weighing thirty or forty" pounds, are much used for food in those countries. Tho Chinese yam is different from'all other ' species of Dioscorwa with edible roots in' being perfectly hardy. It would succeed remarkably well in New Zealand, and is vastly superior to the tropical yams in the fj edible quality of its rocits. It is occasionally cultivated in the kitchen garden; Ik and is valued by many on account of . the purity of its flavour, and the absence of any after taste of sweetness or other unde- ' sirablo quality. The ease with which it . can be cultivated and the facility with '?'■■'■ which it may be preserved also commend it. ".. This Chinese yam was first sent to France by a French Consul about tho year 1849 from China, where it is in general cultivation. The yam has a root or tuber from,',! eighteen inches to three feet in length. It "'."', is club shaped, with the large part below/ : The portion near the surface of the ground ■".:' is not larger than the little finger, while the .'. lower end is sometimes three inches in diameter. The vine, if furnished with a ' support, will grow to a height of twelve "or • fifteen feet, but is much shoi^er when* allowed to run upon the ground. The !'.', triangular heart-shaped leaves are about". two inches long, and of a dark glossy .',. green. The flowers are very minute in small racemes in the axles of the leaves. ; j They are dull yellow, and are pleasantly.^.* fragrant. The plant is delicious. (Tnless t there are male and female it will bear no seed. But large numbers of bulblete about.." the size of a large pea are produced in the ,'i axles of the leaves. These grow readily, V J? and afford-the most common method of propagating the p!ant. As a field or garden ," crop it has never become popular, mainly oh.'; account of the difficulty in harvesting. The g small end of Iho tuber is exceedingly", brittle, and from the fact that the large enil ■ is lowest, it cannot be pulled, but an exca- .'., vation must bo made to the full depth'to >. which it reaches. This difficulty may be.,':', obviated to?some extent by planting upon,.. ridges. As some persons are exceedingly , v fond of the Chinese yam, plant the roots in || some convenient spot, and as they are per-1 m fectly hardy, allow them to take care of.^., themselves, digging them up as they am&l needed. In cooking they may be treated \, in the same manner as potatoes. The bulb m lets do not produce a full-sized tuber .',., the first year. They may be sown in awed' ,;| bed, and the small tubers produced planted jgj the next spring, either/whole or .cut into'' *V two or three pieces according to their size';,,'.: When full-sized tubers are once obtained: , their smaller ends are reserved for plant-■.£ ing, using the smaller portion for the table. J.: These email ends are cut into lengths ipf £| 1 to 3 inches, according to their size,, and;,": will produce large tubers the first year.,;! Tho tubers make their greatest increase in I size late im the season, and should not he if j dug before winter, or frost will .put an end: , to the growth of the. vines. Soils, beat ■:., adapted for their cultivation are light, r , sandy, or slaty, which have bean deeply | worked and highly manured. The diSr ''.'■ tanco apart in rows is 3. feet and 18 inches . V. in ridges, somewhat similar treatment t»,'i7 the sweet potatoes.. *,[..•. . ... . j-,^