WATER. 



336 



removed by surface or underground 

 draining ; and the rain, or thawing 

 snow which produces water on the 

 surface, is to be conveyed away by 

 similar means. See Walks. Water, 

 as an element of 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 artificial state, even in a 

 moist climate like that of Britain, 

 require water occasionally ; for ex- 

 traordinary excitement by means of 

 soil, or manure, or artificial tempe- 

 rature, will be ineffective unless 

 seconded by water. For all ordi- 

 nary 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 susceptible, it 

 would be supplied subterraneously 

 by underground drains, as is some- 

 times done in fen lands, and not 

 imfrequently in reclaimed bogs, both 

 in Great Britain and Ireland. Where 

 the soil of a garden is to be made 

 the most of, there should be a sub- 

 stratum of gravel or small stones, 

 ■with drains or small tunnels, or 

 perforated tubes of earthenware at 

 regular distances, communicating 

 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 whole 

 of the under strata, and to supply 

 moisture to the roots of the plants 

 altogether, independently of what 

 they might receive either artificially 

 or naturally from the surface. This 

 would be of great advantage in dry 

 soils, not only to crops of herbaceous 

 vegetables, and to the plants of 

 flower-gardens, but to fruit-trees, 

 forest-trees, and useful or orna- 

 mental 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 astonish- 

 ing effects in the case of fruit-trees 

 planted against walls, and on vines 

 planted on prepared borders, and on 

 peach-trees in a state of forcing. 

 The only objection to this mode of 

 applying water is the expense. 



Water, considered with reference 

 to its quality, should be without 

 the admixture of extraneous mi- 

 neral substances, such as acids or 

 alkalies ; and it should be of the 

 same temperature as the soil, or 

 higher rather than lower. In order 

 that it should it be of the same 

 temperature as the soil, it is neces- 

 sary to expose it to the action of 

 the atmosphere 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 manner 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 soil for an inch or two ail round 

 them, are better kept dry ; because 

 the moisture on the collar is apt to 

 create decay. The fibres which ab- 

 sorb the moisture and convey it to 

 the leaves of the plants, are always 

 extended to some distance from the 

 stem ; and hence it follows that a 

 plant may be moistened imme- 

 diately round the stem without ren- 

 dering it any service, but, on the 

 contrary, incurring the risk of rot- 

 ting it ; while if watered at some 

 distance from the stem, it may be 

 nourished in reality, and yet have 

 the appearance of being starved for 

 want of moisture. 



For certain kinds of plants, such 



