THE CULTURE OF PLANTS 



and greater plants stir and waken the earth a little 

 about their roots with a fork, so it may drink the 

 more evenlier, minding to tread it firme again. 

 And for the same cause you may sink the earth a 

 little, in forme of a shallow dish, round your cole- 

 flowers, artichocks, &c. Dip your flower-pots in a 

 tub of water, to drink through the holes at the 

 bottome. 



When you water beds of small seeds with the 

 watering pot, shake it nimbly, that it may fall like 

 a showre of small rain. I have often made use of a 

 handful of small straw or hay, drawen as thatch, 

 tyed in the middle, and at one end powred water 

 with a cup, and shaken the same, that it appeared 

 like a gentle bedewing rather than a glutting rain. 



Some !that are desirous to have the ground al- 

 wayes moist about any plant, generally place near 

 it a vessel with water, and in it a piece of woollen 

 clothe, with one end thereof hanging out to the 

 ground, and the other in the water. The cloth being 

 first wet, it will drop continually, if the end with- 

 out be lower than that within the vessel ; and when 

 the water within fails, it may be augmented. If it 

 drop not fast enough, the clothe may be increased, 

 if too fast diminished. 



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