Azotes and Gleanings. 1 1 5 



On watering Out-Door Plants. — An opinion prevails among gardeners 

 that night is the proper time to water plants ; and this opinion is generally 

 acted on : but I suggest that the early morning is a better time for performing 

 that operation, — a suggestion which I support by the following arguments: 

 Two acknowledged agents in promoting vigorous growth are heat and moisture. 

 Moisture is under our control ; but if we e.xercise that control, and water our 

 plants in the evening during dry weather, we do so at the expense of a great 

 portion of the heat we desire to preserve. Two influences are at that time 

 brought into operation in cooling down the soil and retarding the growth of the 

 plants, which we vainly endeavor to urge forward by moisture : these are evapo- 

 ration and radiation. Now, evaporation cannot take place unless at the expense 

 of heat; or, in other words, without producing cold. Let us look, then, at the 

 effects of watering in the evening. Evaporation goes on briskly, the tempera- 

 ture sinks, and there are no sun's rays to communicate fresh heat ; the plants 

 are chilled, and their growth is sometimes even less than that of plants not 

 watered at all, but which have been allowed to take their chance. The other 

 source of diminished temperature is radiation. Every warm body tends contin- 

 ually to throw off heat to all others of lower temperature, near or remote. All 

 objects do not radiate heat with equal rapidity ; but rough and darkly-colored sur- 

 faces do so more readily than those which are light and smooth. Now, almost 

 all soils are darkened in color by moisture : hence, by watering, the soil is reduced 

 to the best possible condition for getting cooled down during the night. Thus 

 the combined influence of evaporation and radiation occasioned by evening 

 watering exerts itself in thwarting the intentions of those who heedlessly 

 practise it. 



The best time for watering exposed plants I consider to be early in the morn- 

 ing, as the sun's rays are then beginning to be felt, and to exert their counteract- 

 ing influence. The darkened surface — that very condition which made the soil 

 throw off its heat more readily during the night — causes it to absorb the heat of 

 the sun's rays by day with increased facility ; so that we thus secure the greatest 

 amount of the fostering agencies of heat and moisture to push on the growth 

 of our plants. 



Now, by deep cultivation, with moderate manuring, watering may almost be 

 reduced to a minimum. Watering, unless well done, does more harm than good. 

 Very few men can water plants properly, either in pots or the open ground. It 

 is, I consider, the most difficult part of a gardener's business to water plants 

 well. If all the extra labor required for watering were devoted to stirring and 

 deep digging, our plants would give more flowers at less trouble, and of better 

 quality. — G. McB., in Florist and Potnologist. 



The Surprise Raspberry. — As this variety has lately attracted the atten- 

 tion of fruit-growers throughout the country, and as I happen to know a little 

 more of its history than all those who speak about it, having first discovered it, 

 I will give your readers what I know, and my experience with it for ten 

 years. 



This fruit is only another evidence of the spontaneous production of new and 



