Fi^. 3. 



Ridge-work. 

 Fig. 3 is the section of two adjoining ridgea. a, a, the feeders ; 6, 6, b, the drairw. 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 4 13 a 3luice to regulate the flow of water. 



PLANT WATERING. 



As gooii potting is the first step in plant 

 growing, so good watering is most assuredly 

 the second ; the former, even when rightly ac- 

 complished and with the best materials, may be 

 defeated through -want of skill in watering. — 

 Imperfect knowledge or carelessness in the due 

 administration of this essential element kills 

 more plants, or keeps more in suspense between 

 life and death, than utter ignorance in all other 

 matters relating to plant gro'wing. Let us not 

 imagine that because we have put a root to a 

 plant, and placed it in a pot in the right way 

 and in the proper kind of soil, that the object of 

 our solicitude is accomplished, and that our duty 

 is terminated ; for the contrary is the fact, if we 

 have ambition enough to desire our achieve- 

 ments to be admired or recorded. 



It may be superfluous to state, that plants 

 either suffer from too much or too little water ; 

 but it is not so to show that this is frequently 

 the case in the same pot at the same time ; that 

 is an evil far more extensive in a general col- 

 lection of plants than may be supposed, ajid a 

 point opposed to good cultivation earnestly de- 

 manding our attention. When the surface-soil 

 In the pots becomes drj', a careless hand adds at 

 once a fresh supply, without ascertaining wheth- 

 er the soil, in which the roots are, at all requires 

 it, and again on the other hand, the top soil fre- 

 quently appears perfectly wet, while the bottom 

 of the ball is as dry as dust. This is a most ca- 

 lamitous circumstance, and one of common oc- 

 currence, especially amongst newly-potted 

 plants. When a plant is just potted, it should 

 have a sufficient supply to penetrate every part 

 of the ball, and then remain until another sup- 

 ply is positively required, that is, till the ball 

 has parted with a greater jiortiou of its moisture I 

 and the plant is upon the point of flagging, the 

 "" (194) 



interstices being all filled with air as it should 

 be. This air again requires to be driven out by 

 a fresh supply of water, thus keeping up a vig- 

 orous and healthy action by continual inter- 

 changes of air and water, but at the same time 

 never allowing either of them to remain long 

 enough to affect the health of the plant. Wa- 

 tering by " driblets" is the worst of all water- 

 ing ; it keeps the surface of the soil in a puddle, 

 but never reaches the roots ; the eye is thus de- 

 ceived, and the plant is often dead before 

 the cau.se is discovered. When a plant does 

 not part with its moi-sture freelj', like its neigh- 

 bors, but remains in a wet ■ state, it should be 

 immediately mspected ; for should a plant re- 

 main subject daily to the application of driblets 

 of water for any time, death miist of necessity 

 ensue. One effectual watering, whether ap- 

 plied to plants in pots under glass or to those 

 committed to the soil in the open ground, is not 

 onh' of far gieater utility, but much more eco- 

 nomical than ten ineffectual supplies. There is 

 no duty attending plant cultivation so difficult 

 to perform as this, and to entrust it in careless 

 and incompetent hands will certainly entail 

 upon a collection of valuable plants po.sitive 

 ruin ; for unless he who uses the watering-pot 

 has some practical acquaintance with vegetable 

 economy, and can discriminate so far as to act 

 agreeably to the necessities and wants of the 

 subjects committed to his care, he will always 

 find himself a day's march in arrear. These 

 neces.iities and wants, be it remembered, are 

 not (}uite so apparent to the naked eye of the 

 novice as they are to the keen and scrutinizing 

 vision of the ever-anxious, and hence ever- 

 watchful, cultivator 



There is a kind of v^-atering verj* commonly 

 performed in many places, which cannot, when 



