134 ORCHARDS. 



will therefore imbibe less from the internal cells, and conse- 

 quently more mucus or fat will remain in them. 



"Thus in Lancashire, where premiums are given for large 

 gooseberries, I am told that some of those who are solicitous 

 for the prizes not only thin the fruit of a gooseberry tree, so 

 as to leave but two or three gooseberries on a bunch, then by 

 supporting a tea saucer under each of these gooseberries, 

 bathe it for some weeks in so much water as to cover about 

 one-fourth of it, which they call sucking the gooseberry. 



" There are two circumstances to be attended to in giving 

 water to plants or trees ; which are, not to water them during 

 the hot part of the day in Summer, nor in the evenings of 

 Spring, when a frost may be expected ; in both these circum- 

 stances we may be said to copy nature, as the rain is gener- 

 ally preceded by a cloudy sky, and is never accompanied by 

 frost; though that sometimes follows it, and is then very inju- 

 rious to vegetation. 



" When plants have been long stimulated by a hot sunshine 

 into violent action, if this stimulus of heat be too greatly and too 

 suddenly diminished by the affusion of cold water, or by its 

 sudden evaporation, their vessels cease to act, and death en- 

 sues ; exactly as has too frequently happened to those who 

 have bathed in a cold stream, or spring of water, after having 

 been heated by violent and continued exercise on a hot day. 

 When severe frosts follow the watering of plants, they are 

 rendered torpid, and die by the too great and sudden diminu- 

 tion of the stimulus of heat; which is equally necessary to 

 the activity of vegetable as to animal fibres; and in some in- 

 stances the circulation of their fluids may be stopped by the 

 congelation of them; and in others, their vessels may be burst 

 by the expansion attending the conversion of water into ice; 

 or, lastly, by the separation of their different fluids by con- 

 gelation. 



"When an addition of manure can be procured, as where 

 the black carbonic juice from a dung hill mixed with water, 

 or soapsuds, which have been used in washing, can be em- 

 ployed instead of water alone, it must undoubtedly add much 



