86 FAMILY RECEIPTS. 



pound of seed will sow an acre; and should be sown in 

 that proportion for smaller pieces of ground. 



In compiling the preceding directions for cultivating 

 garden vegetables, I have been greatly assisted by the 

 catalogues of seeds, &c. of Mr. B. Russell, and Mr. 

 George Thorburn's establishments, and by a treatise 

 published by Asa Lee Davison, Esq. of Ohio. 



HOW AND WHEN TO WATER PLANTS. 



A copious supply of water is very essential to a good 

 garden. Loudon remarks, 'that many kitchen crops 

 are lost for want of watering. Lettuces and cabbages 

 are often hard and stringy; turnips and radishes do not 

 swell; onions decay; cauliflowers die off; and in gene- 

 ral in dry seasons all the cruciform^ (flowers with petals 

 in the form of a cross) become stinted, or covered with 

 insects, even in rich, deep soils. Copious waterings in 

 the evenings, during the dry seasons would cause that 

 fulness and succulency which we find in vegetables 

 produced in the low countries, and in the Marsh Gar- 

 dens at Paris, and in England at the beginning and 

 latter end of the season. 



"Watering is requisite for various purposes, as ali- 

 ment to plants in a growing state; as a support to newly 

 transplanted plants; for keeping under insects, and 

 keeping clear the leaves of vegetables. 



One general rule must ever be kept in mind during 

 the employment of water; that is, never to water while 

 the sun shines. A moment's reflection will convince 

 any one that this rule is agreeable to the laws of na- 

 ture, for during rain the sun's rays are intercepted by 

 a panoply of fog or clouds. AH artificial watering, 

 therefore, should be carried on in the evening or early 

 in the > morning, unless it be confined to watering the 

 roots, in which case transplanted plants, and others in 

 a growing state may be watered at any time, and if 

 they are shaded from the sun, they may also be watered 

 over the tops. 



