NEW ENGLAND FAR3IE11. 



^Published by John B. Rubsf.ll at No^5~» North Market .Street, (over tlie Agriciiltiiral VViirehousc). — Thomas (i. I-'kksenukiN, Kditor. 



OL. V. 



BOSTON, FRIDAY, JUNE 8, 1827. 



No. 46. 



D R I G I NAL PAPE R S. 



[hV TIIK El>ITOR.] 



WATERING PLANTS, LIQUID MA- 

 NURE, &,c. 

 ii r Loudon gives tho following directions rela- 

 te this subject. " Watering becomes rcqiii- 

 For various purposes ; us aliment to plants in 

 jwinj state ; as support to newly transplant- 

 lants ; for kecpin;:: under insects ; and keep- 

 clean the loaves of vegetables. One fjeneral 

 must be ever kept in mind during the om- 

 ment of water ; that is, never to water the 

 )r leaves of a plant when the sun shinci;. A 

 ent's reflection will convince any one that 

 rule is agreeable to the laws of nature, for 

 ig rain the sun's rays are intercepted by a 

 ■ply of fog or clouds. All artificial watering, 

 ;fore, should be carried on in the evening, or 

 r in the morning, unless it be confined to wa- 

 ig the roots, in which case, transplanted 

 ts, and others in a growing state, may be wa- 

 1 at any time ; and if they are shaded from 

 iun they may also bo watered over their tops." 

 ater used for watering plants should not be 

 !i\ directly from a well or cold spring, as it 

 give a ehill to the vegetation ; but should be 

 ■sed one day at least to the shining of the sun. 

 )uld he applied gently, anJ in small quanti- 

 at a time, that it may have an effect similar' 

 gentle rain. If too forcibly and plentifully 

 led it is apt to wash away tho finest of the 

 Id from the roots ; or make little cavities 

 t them, which admit too much air. 

 e following rules for watering plants are from 

 Darwin's Piii/tolof^ia, or the PUilosopli)/ of 

 'culture and Gardening. "There are two 

 jmstances to be attended to in giving water 

 lants ; which are, not to water them during 

 hot part of the day in summer, nor in tho eve- 

 s of spring, when a frost maybe e.\pecfcd ; 

 lOth these circumstances we may be said to 

 ' nature, as rain is generally preceded by a 

 dy sky, and is never accompanied by frost ; 

 ■<Th that sometimes follows it, and is tlicn very 

 rious to vegetation. 



When plants have been long stimulated by a 

 sunshine into violent action, if this stimulus of 

 ; be too greatly and too suddcidy diminished by 

 eft'usion of cold water, or by its sudden evapo- 

 on, thi'ir vessels refuse to act, and death cn- 

 3 ; e.Naclly as has loo frequently happened to 

 ,6 who have bathed in a cold spring of water, 

 ■r having been heated by violent and continued 

 rcise in a hot day. When severe frost follows 

 watering of plan's, they arc rendered torpid, 

 die by the too great and sudden diminution of 

 stimulus of heat, which is equally necepsary 

 he activity of vegetable as to animal fibres ; 

 in some cases the circulation of fluids may be 

 pped by the congelation of them ; and in others 

 ir vessels may be burst by the expansion at 

 ding the conversion of water into ice ; or last- 

 Dy the separation of their diflferent fluids of 

 igelation. 



When an addition of manure can be procured, 

 vhere the black carbonic juice from a dunghill 



mi.\cd withAviitcr or soap-suds, which have been 

 used in washing, con be employed instead of water 

 alone ; it must undoubtedly add to the nutriment, 

 and consequently cidarge the siio of tho fruit by 

 that means u'so, as well us by the additional v/a- 

 Icr. 



" Where too much moisture is given witliout nt 

 the same time an addition of warmth, sorno iiicon- 

 vcniciicos are liable to occur, as a less aromatic 

 and saccharine flavour of tho fruit. When there- 

 fore fruits become nearly rijw;, loss water should 

 he given them unless it be convenient at the same 

 lime to increase the heat in which they are im- 

 mersed, as may he done in some hot houses; and 

 there tho flavour of the fruit may be hciglitcncd ; 

 as well as its size increased." 



" It is observed by gardeners, that in dry seas- 

 ons^ if you begin to water any kind of plants you 

 mi^t continue to repeat it ; otherwise that they 

 are sooner injured by the dry weather than those 

 v.hich have not been watered. This fact also I 

 think I have observed, and it may depend upon 

 Ihe circumstance of the roots of annual vegetables 

 shooting themselves lower down in dry seasons in 

 quest of moisture ; but if this be given them in the 

 commencement of their growth, they then shoot 

 more horizontally, and are afterwards in conse- 

 quence sooner destroyed by tho dry weather." 



There can be no doubt but that plants while 

 growing, and especially in their infancy, send their 

 •■Qots deeper than they otherwise would, in conse- 

 quence of not finding water near the surface of 

 the soil, according to the theory of Dr Darwin. — 

 But those which have nearly or quite attained 

 their full growth, and are exposed to drought so 

 severe thai there is danger that they may not ri- 

 pen their fruit or their seeds, require watering. — 

 It is then too late for the plants to alter the direc- 

 tion of their roots, or send forth new fibres or rad- 

 icles ; and a timely and judicious supply may save 

 the entire crop. 



Mr M'Mahon says, " newly planted fruit trees 

 will be greatly benefitted by occasional waterings, 

 which should always be given in the morning and 

 frequently over the branches as wull as about the 

 roots; this will be of great service in v.-ashing off 

 any dust and filth which their leaves may have 

 contracted and in opening their pores for the re- 

 ception of atmospheric moisture. 



" Watering with common water proves very 

 beneficial to trees infested with insects ; especially 

 if thrown against them with some force by means 

 of a small waier engine. This will not only dis- 

 place caterpillars, and many other insects, but 

 greatly refresh the trees, especially in dry weath- 

 er ; and if often repeated where insects appear, 

 it will considerably diminish their number and 

 prevent their spreading. 



" The most eligible engines are such as have 

 the pump and discharging pipe fixed in the vessel 

 for containing the water ; of which some are of a 

 moderate size for carrying about by hand, but lar 

 ger ones are fitted upon a low, light three wheel- 

 ed carriage, for the more convenient removal Irom 

 place to place. This engine may be conveniently 

 used for watering difierent parts of the garden in 

 dry weather." 



In Flanders, Switzerland, and some other parts 



of Europe, the farmers take the pains to leach or 

 v.-ash their manure, apply tho liquid jjarl alone to 

 their growing crops, and use tho strawy part, and 

 v.hatever is not readily dissolved in water, as ma- 

 nure for potatoes. Sea-water hag been found use- 

 ful for manure, and the manner of obtaining and 

 applying it is explained page VJ5 of the current 

 volume of Uie New England Farmer. If your soil 

 is not very rich, tlicr will be an advantage in 

 watering^ tiie trees, crops, &c. uith water impreg- 

 nated with some putrescent or saline substance, 

 which may servo as food for plants, and you may 

 thus, as it were, give yo-jr vegetables meat and 

 drink by the same process. Soap-suds v/e have 

 often recommended, and have repeatedly been as- 

 sured by friends and correspondents, who have 

 experienced their uses, that they form an excellent 

 application, not only to nourish plants, but to des- 

 troy the insect?, which infest them. It would prob- 

 ably be practicable to destroy canker-worms, even 

 after they had obtained possession of fruit trees. 

 by showering them with soap-suds once or twice 

 a week from a garden-pump or engine. 



We believe it might be easy for most farmers to 

 water their grass-grounds, &c. by water carts, 

 similar to those which are used for laying the dust 

 in Boston and other cities. A basin or cistern 

 might easily bo formed, which should receive the 

 wash from the kitchen, stables, cow-yard, &c. — 

 From this reservoir, tlio liquid manure might be 

 transported and spread as follows : " Take a one- 

 horse cart, anti suspend a tight bo.\, rightly shap- 

 ed, under the axle-tree ; the box having a valve in 

 the under side ; drive tho cart into the water and 

 the valve opens, and lots the water into the box ; 

 and, when the cart is driven out, the valve closes 

 and holds the water. 



" When the cart is driven out to the ground on 

 which the water is to be spread, this operation 

 may be performed in the manner we shall next 

 describe : a tube is to be provided, say 12 feet 

 in length, with small holes bored in it at the dis- 

 tance of six inches apart, and the ends of the tube 

 closed; attach this to the under side of the box, 

 cross-wise at either end, so as to be out of the 

 way of the wheels of the cart. ,', 



" When you come to where the water is to be 

 spread, it is to be let out of the box into the tube, 

 by an aperture for that purpose ; and as the cart 

 moves along, the water runs out of each of the 

 small holes, and thus sprinkles over a piece of 

 ground of 12 feet wide, till the whole is exhaust- 

 ed. 



" With the next load, begin where the water 

 ceased running before, and thus continue the wa- 

 tered strip across the field. Then take another 

 strip of 13 feet wide, adjoining that already water- 

 ed, and thus proceed till the whole is gone over." 

 In page 30(3 of the current volume of the New 

 England Farmer, is a statement of the means used 

 by Robert Smith, Esq. President of the Maryland 

 Agricultural Society, to make the most of the 

 liquid manure furnished by his stock, barn-yard, 

 &c. In order to give a connected sketch of the 

 subject in this place, we shall copy a paragraph 

 from the article alluded to. 



" The barn-yard is constructed according to the 

 best Pennsylvania models. The yard is to the 



