126 CARE OF PLANTS. 



Plants in hot weather require water almost every 

 day. At no time should the plants be allowed to 

 become dry, nor should water be given so often 

 that the soil is kept constantly in a pasty condition. 

 In our judgment the best results will be obtained 

 when the variation of the moisture in the soil is 

 allowed the widest range the plants will stand. 

 What this is cannot be given in words as too many 

 conditions are involved. It is a question that 

 must be studied by each individual and by him 

 worked out for his own case. The point we 

 wish to make is that better growth can 

 be obtained by allowing a certain 

 r&nge or variation in the moisture 

 content of the soil than where an 

 attempt is made to keep the moisture 

 content at one point or near one point. 

 If, for example, we find that in a certain type of soil 

 the best growth is obtained where the maximum 

 moisture content approximates twenty per cent, it 

 will be best not to attempt to hold the moisture 

 steadily at this point, but rather to allow a varia- 

 tion of five to eight per cent, as this is more apt to 

 give optimum conditions for growth than where 

 an effort is put forth to hold it at one point. 



It is not necessary here to go into a discussion 

 of the physiological questions involved in this 

 matter. Suffice it to say that we may look at the 

 plant in the light of a machine kept in operation 

 in part by stimuli from without. Stimuli may 



