two feet between them. In field culture, for the oils and essences,
place them two feet apart, for the convenience of going between the rows
with a horse. Thus cultivation becomes easy. They should be cut in full
blossom, and dried in small bunches in the shade, but better by
artificial heat, like hops. They should be cut when dry. For domestic
uses, dry quickly, and pulverize, and put away in tight glass bottles.
They will retain all their strength, keep free from dust, and always be
ready for use. The same is true of all the herbs for domestic use. As a
field crop, mints are profitable.

MULBERRY.

There are three varieties cultivated in this country. We place them in
the order of their qualities:--

1. _The Johnson._--A new variety, thus described by Kirtland: "Fruit
very large; oblong cylindric; blackish, subacid, and of mild and
agreeable flavor. Growth of wood strong."

2. _The Black Mulberry._--An Asiatic variety, rather tender for the
North, though it succeeds tolerably well in some parts of New England.
Fruit large and delicious; tree low and spreading. Easily cultivated on
almost any soil. Propagated by seeds, layers, cuttings, or roots.

3. _The Red Mulberry._--A native of this country. Fruit small and
pleasant, but inferior to the two preceding.

MULCHING.

This is placing around plants or trees, coarse manure or litter of any
kind, to keep down weeds, and prevent too rapid evaporation of moisture.
All straw, corn stalks, old weeds or stubble, forest leaves, seaweeds,
old wood, sawdust, old tanbark, chips, &c., are good for mulching. Any
tree taken up and planted with reasonable care, and well mulched and
watered, will live. One of fifty need not die. Cover the loose earth
deep enough to prevent the springing of weeds. Put a little earth on the
outer edge of the manure, leaving it dishing about the tree. Fill that
occasionally with water, and you will get a good growth, even in a dry
season.

Plant gooseberries or currants, and mulch the whole ground between the
bushes, and give them no other cultivation, and the berries will grow
nearly twice as large as the same varieties standing neglected, to grow
up to weeds, in the usual way. Mulching with clean, dry straw, or with
charcoal, is a preventive of mildew. It is the easiest method of taking
care of strawberries after they are in blossom; the vines will bear much
more and finer fruit, and it will be clean and neat. Mulching vines is a
great mea