WATERING PLANTS. 195 



well as regards both foliage and flower for many years 

 without shifting, by supplying them with an abundance 

 of water ; while on the other hand too much water given 

 to plants not so circumstanced would cause them to 

 suffer. 



It is not only requisite to know the physical consti- 

 tution of the plant, but also the circumstances connected 

 with its root. A plant, for instance, that is well esta- 

 blished in the pot, i.e. the pot being full of root and the 

 plant coming into or being in flower, will require more 

 water than it would when it was first potted into fresh soil 

 and was in a more inactive stage of growth. As an ex- 

 ample, a Geranium that has just been cut back and re- 

 potted does not require half the water that it does when 

 it begins to show flower. Again, the Cactus is an in- 

 stance of what is required by way of abundant watering 

 and then a period when no water should be given. The 

 Heath is an instance of careful watering ; too much or 

 too little will surely prove fatal to it. 



The Heath may be considered a safe guide for care- 

 ful watering, a sort of medium rule in the matter ; and I 

 think if this tribe was made a sort of criterion in this 

 respect, no great harm would ever arise from the opera- 

 tion ; for there are few plants indeed but require some 

 such regular root treatment in watering. There are how- 

 ever some exceptions, and these consist of the Cactus 

 tribes, the Tydseas, Orchids, Agaves, &c. which require 

 an entire season of rest, when no water is required, 

 while on the other hand aquatics always require water 

 in abundance. Still the Heath may be taken as a rule 

 for careful watering in general ; but note this : no 

 plants require half so much water during the winter as 



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