III.] THE AMERICAN GARDENER. 96 



hard ground, the rows bed were as small and yel- 

 low as any in the land. The Turnips in the row 

 <f, about three foot distant from the land E, receiv- 

 ing a double increase, proves they had as much 

 nourishment from the land E as from the land A, 

 wherein they stood, which nourishment was brought 

 by less than half the number of roots of each of 

 these Turnips. In their own land they must have 

 extended a yard all round, else they could not have 

 reached the land , wherein it is probable these 

 few roots went more than another yard, to give each 

 Turnip as much increase as all the roots had done 

 in their own land. Except that it will hereafter 

 appear, that the new nourishment taken at the ex- 

 tremities of the roots in the land , might enable 

 the plants to send out more new roots in their own 

 land, and receive something more from thence. The 

 row c being twice as big as the row d, must be sup- 

 posed to extend twice as far ; and the row Z>, four 

 times as far, in proportion as it was of a bulk quad- 

 ruple to the row d." 



186. Thus, then, it is clear, that tillage amongst 

 growing plants is a great thing. Not only is it of 

 great benefit to the plants ; not only does it greatly 

 augment the amount of the Crop, and make it of 

 the best quality ; but, it prepares the ground for 

 another crop. If a summer fallow be good for the 

 land, here is a summer fallow ; if the ploughing 

 between Indian Corn prepares the land for wheat, 

 the digging between cabbages and other crops will, 

 of course prepare the land for succeeding crops. 



187. Watering' plants, though so shongly re- 

 commended in English Gardening Books, and so 

 much in practice, is a thing of very doubtful utility 

 in any case, and, in most cases, of positive injury. 

 A country often endures present suffering from 



