52 OBSERVATIONS ON WATERING PLANTS IN POTS. 



Whether, as it has been contended by many, the soil in which 

 a plant grows serves simp!}' as a medium in which its roots deve- 

 lope themselves, and, that the composition of that soil, is of no 

 moment except as regards its greater or less ductility or power of 

 retaining moisture in a greater or less degree, with reference to 

 the strong or brittle, ligneous or succulent nature of the root ; — 

 and, that water, air, and heat, are the only elements (as they are 

 clearly termed,) from which the plant derives its growth: or 

 whether agreeably to the prevailing opinion, the various nutritious 

 particles contained in the soil by becoming dissolved in the water, 

 are taken up by the roots, and thereby its component parts are a 

 matter of importance, need not here be discussed,— because, what- 

 ever may be the opinion of individual cultivators on this question, 

 it is admitted by all, that, whilst from want of water vegetation 

 ceases ; over-watering produces the same unfortunate result. 



The great point to be attained, is to keep the earth in which 

 the plant grows in a state of moisture, to supply the wants of the 

 roots and no more. 



Under the head of general principles, I would state the follow- 

 ing:— 



If the earth in which the plant is potted be of a stiffloamy tex- 

 ture, the plant will require much less frequent supplies of water, 

 than if it be a light sandy loam or composed chiefly of leaf mould 

 or peat. 



If the quantity of roots in a pot are small, with reference to 

 the size of the pot, much less water is required than when the po* 

 is full of roots ; because in the former case the roots will gather 

 moisture for some time from the surrounding soil ; in the latter, 

 all the water that is not taken up by the roots soon after the plant 

 is watered, drains away. If a plant whose roots do not nearly 

 extend to the sides of a pot, be watered more frequently than the 

 roots absorb it, the surrounding soil becomes saturated with water, 

 which keeps it in a wet saddened state, wholly unfit for vegetation; 

 the result of which is that the roots decay. 



When plants have been cut back or pruned, the supply of 

 water should always be considerably lessened ; because, the quan- 

 tity of roots remaining the same, they have, until new shoots are 

 made, a much less quantity of branches and leaves to support. 



When plants are in a growing stale, that is, making their shoots 



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