Preparing the Beds 19 



time, although, in the evening, after a hot 

 sunny day accompanied by a strong, dry- 

 ing wind, if the foliage looks wilted some- 

 what, a showering overhead is beneficial. 

 The day after a good soaking it is well to 

 go lightly over the bed with a hoe or rake 

 and stir up the soil, breaking the crust 

 produced by the watering. This makes a 

 mulch that will conserve the moisture and 

 protect the roots from the hot sun. Fre- 

 quent slight waterings keep the moisture at 

 the top and the roots are then inclined to 

 grow upwards to meet it. If you then 

 neglect to water, the soil soon becomes dry 

 and the roots suffer. 



