THE GARDEN 61 



single plant should have the earth loosened up around the roots at least 

 once a week. 



After a heavy rainstorm, too, the need is imperative. After a terrific 

 storm, we found our beds covered with a strong, thick layer of hard 

 cement. At least, that is exactly what it felt and looked like as soon as 

 the sun had dried the surface a bit. Not only that, but many small plants, 

 seedlings and such like, were pounded into the earth. Some had leaves 

 buried into the cement. After all such storms you must absolutely 

 get out your gardening fork and heel up the earth around every root. 

 Keep the earth well roughened up all the time. Never let it become 

 pulverized so finely that after each watering, when the moisture has 

 sunken in, the surface is smooth and unbroken. Such a condition 3e.-!ms 

 to hold the stems as if in a vise, and growth will not proceed other than 

 very slowly. Water night and morning these days. I have found an ex- 

 cellent plan to remove the nozzle from the hose, and, laying the end of the 

 pipe right among the thick stems of all such plants as paeonies, iris, 

 perennial stocks. Columbine, lilies, bleeding heart, turn on the water and 

 let the whole volume from the pipe sink gratefully into the very roots. 

 One thoro attention such as this about every three days will carry all the 

 heavy clumps, successfully thru the hottest and driest season, and will do 

 more good than a long session with the sprinkler. 



Where the space to be gone over every evening is large, form the plan 

 of washing off all the leaves for a minute every night, especially after a 

 hot day, and then devote the rest of the time to soaking the various 

 roots. Too often we see the one attending the hose stand for twenty min- 

 utes or half an hour, spraying one tree or shrub, under the mistaken im- 

 pression that the tree is getting a good soaking — well, so it is — and at the 

 same time a great quantity of water is being wasted, water that had much 

 better have been given to the roots. That tree simply needs its leaves 

 well washed once, and any tree can be so watered in a couple of 

 minutes, after that the water is being wasted. This is energy misdirected, 

 because the person did not stop to think. 



