WATER. Al 
cyclopedia of Cottage Architecture, 
and in his Suburban Gardener. 
For further particulars respecting 
the use of walls in ornamental gar- 
dens, see ConservVATIVE WALL. 
Warratau. — See TELo'PEs. — 
There is also a Warratah Camilla ; 
so called because its bright crimson 
colour resembles that of the true 
Warratah plant or Telopea of Bota- 
ny Bay. 
Water, in gardening, may be 
considered with reference to its use 
in vegetable culture, and to its 
effect in landscape. When water 
is too abundant in any soil, it is to 
be removed by surface or under- 
ground draining; and the rain, or 
thawing snow which produces wa- 
ter on the surface, is to be convey- | 
ed away by similar means. See 
Watgs. 
culture is next in importance to soil, 
for plants can no more subsist | 
without the one than without the 
other. All plants in a highly arti- 
ficial state, even in a moist climate 
like that of Britain, require water 
occasionally ; for extraordinary ex- 
citement by means of soil, or ma- 
nure, or artificial temperature, will | 
expose it to the action of the atmo- 
be ineffective unless seconded by 
water. For all ordinary purposes, 
it is sufficient to pour the water on 
the surface of the ground, but if the 
operation of watering were carried 
to the full extent of which it is sus- 
ceptible, it would be suvplied sub- 
terraneously by underground drains, 
as is sometimes done in fen lands, and 
not unfrequently in reclaimed bogs, 
both 1 in Great Britam and Ireland. 
re the soil of a garaen is to be 
made the most of, there should be 
a substratum of gravel or small 
stones, with drains or small tunnels, 
or perforated tubes of earthenware 
at regular distances, communica- 
sing with a supply of water a few 
feet above the surface of the soil, 
by which water might be admitted 
at pleasure, so as to irrigate the 
. 
| 
Water as an element of, 
2 WATER. 
whole of the under-strata, and to 
supply moisture to the roots of the 
plants altogether independently of 
what they might receive either ar-— 
tificially or naturally from the sur-_ 
face. 
vantage in dry soils, not only to 
crops of herbaceous vegetables, and 
to the plants of flower-gardens, but 
to fruit-trees, forest-trees, and use- 
ful or onamental shrubs. It would 
be more especially useful in the 
case of orchards to set the blossoms 
in spring, and to swell off the fruit 
in autumn. It would produce as- 
tonishing effects in the case of fruit- 
trees planted against walls, and on 
vines planted in prepared borders, 
and on peach-trees in a state of 
forcing. The only objection to this 
mode of applying water is the ex- 
pense. 
Water considered with reference 
to its quality, should be without the 
admixture of extraneous mineral 
substances, such as acids or alka- 
lies ; and it should be of the same 
temperature as the soil, or higher 
rather than lower. In order that 
it should be of the same tempera- 
ture as the soil, it is necessary to 
sphere in, ponds or basins before 
using, and even when taking the 
water from such ponds or basins, 
the surface stratum of the water 
ought always to be taken by dipping 
_in the watering-pot in such a man- 
ner as that only the surface of the 
water should run into it. In the 
application of water to plants, the 
most general mode is to pour it at 
their roots; but in doing this it is 
not necessary that the water should 
touch the stems or the collar of the 
plant. On the contrary, the stems 
of tender plants, and even the soi 
for an inch or two all round them, 
is better kept dry; because the 
moisture on the collar is apt to 
create decay. The fibres which 
absorb the moisture and convey it 
- ale ae > - 
This would be of great ad- 
x 
