THE USE OF WATER 



out of ten their collections contain no really 

 good plants, some very poor ones, and the 

 majority will be of that indifferent quality 

 which makes one wonder what pleasure their 

 owners get from them. I do not wish to 

 be understood as saying that faulty watering 

 is wholly responsible for this condition of 

 things, but it plays an important part in it. 

 For mixed collections of plants no definite 

 rules can be laid down as regards watering 

 because the plants of which they are made 

 up differ so greatly in their requirements. 

 One may like a very moist soil. Another may 

 need but little moisture at its roots. The only 

 thing to do is to study your plants until you 

 understand them in all respects. Then you 

 will not be at a loss as to what treatment to 

 give them. Keep your eyes open every time 

 you go among them. There will always be 

 something to learn. That's one of the pleas- 

 antest things about plant-growing. No one 

 day's experience among them is ever quite 

 the same as another's. It does not take long 

 for the person who really loves her plants to 

 learn the general principles which must gov- 

 ern her in her care for them, and the vexed 

 question of how much or how little water to 



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