HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



WAT 



the vigor of the plant. A luxuriant plant, 

 growing in a temperature of 70 or 80, 

 with indications of dryness on the surface 

 of the pot, should receive sufficient water 

 to saturate the soil to the bottom; while 

 a plant that has been cut down for cut- 

 tings, or by any other reason defoliated, 

 and thus lessened in vigor, should not be 

 watered until almost at the point of wilt- 

 ing. Again, experience tells us that soft- 

 wooded plants, such as Geraniums, Fuch- 

 sias, or Heliotropes, will recuperate 

 even when dried to wilting if thoroughly 

 soaked, while hard-wooded plants, such 

 as Azaleas, Heaths, or Camellias, under 

 the same circumstances would fail to re- 

 cover. All succulent plants, such as 

 Cacti, Sedums, Echeverias, etc., will ad- 

 mit of being kept nearly entirely dry 

 during the dormant season; and although- 

 they will exist with but little water even 

 for twelve months, yet, when their proper 

 season of growth begins, (which will be 

 indicated by the developing of the buds 

 or shoots,) they require water nearly as 

 regularly as the ordinary class of soft- 

 wooded plants. 



The degree of atmospheric moisture kept 

 in the green-house greatly determines 

 the amount of water required at the 

 roots, and a proper degree of atmos- 

 pheric moisture is indispensable for the 

 welfare of the plants. When firing in 

 winter sufficient to raise the temperature 

 to 50 degrees, or in dry weather at other 

 seasons, this moisture can either be had 

 by evaporating pans on the pipes, or by 

 Moss packed between the pipes, and kept 

 moistened, or by syringing, judgment be- 

 ing used, of course, by the state of the at- 

 mosphere; for in wet or muggy weather 

 the artificial means of producing mois- 

 ture should be stopped. It is claimed by 



WEE 



some that plants should be watered or 

 syringed by water at the same tempera- 

 ture as the house. When this can be 

 done without inconvenience, it may be 

 as well to do so: but we have proved by 

 over twenty-five years' extensive experi- 

 ence, that it is not a necessity, for we 

 rarely use water at a higher temperature 

 than 45 degrees either in watering or 

 syringing, and have never known an in- 

 stance where injury was done. The ordi- 

 nary watering of plants from sowings or 

 plantings in the open ground in dry 

 weather we believe to be of little avail, 

 if it is not sometimes a positive injury, 

 -unless the circumstances are such that 

 the plants can be completely flooded or 

 irrigated. 



Weeds. All plants are so called that come 

 up spontaneously in the ground where 

 crops are sown or planted, no matter 

 what they are ; for, if not wanted there, 

 no matter how ornamental they may be, 

 they are out of place, and should be cut 

 down as weeds. Annual weeds are the 

 most troublesome on cultivated grounds, 

 but, if taken in time, are easily kept down 

 by use of the steel rake, which, if used 

 before the weeds appear above the sur- 

 face, makes this part of cultivation a sim- 

 ple matter. (See Rake.} It is of the ut- 

 most importance for the welfare of crops 

 that weeds should never get a headway; 

 for not only is the labor of destroying 

 them doubled or quadrupled, but they 

 are generally the grossest kind of feeding 

 plants, which thus deprive the crop of 

 its legitimate food. The evil of neglect 

 to destroy weeds is not confined to one 

 season; for when allowed to go to seed, 

 the penalty is paid year after year, often 

 for four or five years after, the seeds 

 coming up as plowing or digging 



