52 WATERING, [CHAP. m. 



as to benefit the plant, being at the extremity ot 

 the roots, are always as far removed from the 

 stem as the nature of the plant will allow. 

 Thus, the distance from the stem at which 

 water should be given varies in different plants. 

 In those that have taproots, such as the carrot 

 and many other culinary vegetables, the lateral 

 fibrous roots are short, and the spongioles are 

 comparatively near the stem ; but in trees, and 

 most plants having spreading roots, the spon- 

 gioles are generally as far distant from the stem 

 as the extremity of the branches ; and the water, 

 to be efficacious, should be given there. 



Another very important point to be attended 

 to in watering is, to water the leaves as well as 

 the roots. I have already mentioned that the 

 leaves have pores through which they can take 

 in nourishment ; and the truth of this may be 

 easily ascertained by keeping plants in pots, and 

 watering some of them over the leaves, and 

 the others merely at the roots, when the differ- 

 ence in the growth will be so striking as to carry 

 conviction to every unprejudiced observer. It 

 has been asserted that plants can be kept alive 

 by watering their leaves only, and this may 

 very possibly be the case ; but then it must be 

 remembered that though they may be kept 

 alive, they cannot by any means be in a state of 

 vigorous health. Plants in pots, in suburban 

 and town gardens, are very much improved by 

 watering them both at the root and over their 

 leaves with slightly soapy water (not strong 

 soap-suds), as this plan supplies the plants with 

 those saline particles which they would find it 

 otherwise difficult to obtain, from the confined 



