150 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



OL. 



On tlic Moisture of the Soil.—Waterins. 



We prcBUinc ihatalmoet every cullivnior of the Boil 

 in thia cnniry, bu, durin; ihc poac ecoBoii, fL'li the 

 need of more knowledge reepecting the operation nnd 

 cfTecia of iiioistuto on vegetation. It ia a subject 

 wbicb every farmer and gardener ebould fully under- 

 stand ; we therefore bring it before the minds of our 

 readers v;bile they realize ita importance. 'J ho fol- 

 lowing article is from "Lindlcy'a Theory of Horticul- 

 ture, with notes bvA. J. Downing and Dr. Gray" — It 

 is not long — read it carefully. 



It has already been shown that water ia one of the 

 most important elements in the food of plants, portly 

 from their having the power of decomposing it, and 

 portly because it is the vehicle through which the sol- 

 uble matters found in the earth are conveyed into the 

 general spstcm of vegetation. Its importance depends 

 however, essentially upon its quantity. 



We know, on the one hand, that plants will not 

 live in soil which, without being chemically dry, con- 

 tnins so little moisture as to appear dry; and on the 

 other hand on excess of moisure is, in many casi-s, 

 equally prejudicial. The great points to determine 

 are, the a.-nount which is most cnngi-nial to a given 

 species undor given circuiiisionces, and tne periods of 

 growth when water should be applied or withheld. 



When a plant is ot rest, that is to say, in the win- 

 ter of northern couniriea and the dry season of the 

 tropics, but a small supply of water is required by the 

 soil, because ot that time the stems lose but little by 

 periipiration, nnd consequently the roots demand but 

 little food; ncvertbile^8, some terrestrial moisture is 

 required by plants with perrenial stems, even in their 

 season ol rejt, because it is necessary that their sys- 

 tem Ehould, ot that time, be replenished with food 

 against the renewal of active vegetation: hence, when 

 trees are taken out of the earth in ntitumn, and allow- 

 ed to remain e.iposed to a dry air all the winter, they 

 either perish or are gremly enfeebled. If, on the 

 other bond, the soil on which they stand ia tilled with 

 moisture, their system is distended with aqueous mat- 

 ter at a time when it cannot be decomposed or thrown 

 otf, and the plant either becomes unnaturally suscep- 

 tible ot the inHuonce of cold in rigorous climates, oris 

 driven prematurely into growth, when its new pans 

 perish from the unfavorable state of the air in which 

 they are then developed. The most suitable condi- 

 tion of the Soil, at the period of vegetable rest, seems 

 to be that in which no more aqueous matter is con- 

 tained than results from the capillory attruction ol the 

 eartny particles. 



Nevcrtheles.-;, there are e.vceplionB to this, in the 

 case of aquatic and marsh plants, whose peculiar con- 

 stitution enables them to bear with impunity, during 

 their winter, an immersion in water; and in that of 

 many kinds of bulLe, which, during their season of 

 rest, are exposed to excessive heat. The latter plants 

 are, however, constructed in a peculiarmanner; their 

 roots arc annual, and perish at the same time as the 

 leaves, when the absorbent organs are all lost, so that 

 the bulb cannot be supposed to require any supply of 

 moisture, inasmuch as it possesses no means of taking 

 It up, even if it existed in the soil. This will be again 

 adverted to in a future chajiier. 



It i-i when plants are in a state of growth that on 

 aliundont supply of moisture is required in the earth. 

 As soon 03 young leaves sprout forth, perspiraiion 

 commences and o powerful absorption must take 

 Iilace by the roots, the younger the leaves are 

 the more ropid the perspiratory action ; their whole 

 eiudermis must, ot that time, be highly sensible 

 to t'.c stimulating power of light ; but as ihcy 

 grow older their cuticle hardens, the stoniatcs be- 

 come the only apertures through which vapor can 

 lly ofT, and by degrees even these apertures are either 

 choked np, or have a diminished irritability. As o 

 general rule, therefore, we are authorized to conclude 

 that the ground should be obundantly supplied with 

 moisture when plants first begin to grow, and 

 that the quantity should be diminished as the orcon- 

 ization ot a plant becomes completed. There "are, 

 however, some especial cases which appear to be ex- 

 ceptional, in consequence of the unnatural stote in 

 which we require plants to bo preserved for our own 

 peculiar purposes. One of the eflbcls of an extrn- 

 Bive supply ol moisture is to keep all the newly form- 

 ed parts of a plant tender ami succulent, and therefore 

 sui;h a constant supply ia desirable when the leaves of 

 plants are to be sent to toble, os in the case of spin- 

 ach, lettuces, and other olcrnceous annuals. Another 

 effect 18, to render all parts naturally disposed to be 

 succulent much inoro eo than ibey otberwira would 



be; thus we find market gardeners deluging their 

 strawberry plants with water while the fruit is swel- 

 ling, in order to assist in that, to them, important 

 operation. While, however, in ibis ease, the eiEe ol 

 the fruit is increased by o copious supply of water 

 to the eorth, its flavor is, in proportion diniiiiiehed; 

 for, in consequence of the rapidity with which ihe 

 strawberry ripens, and perhaps the cbstrucliin ol 

 light by its leaves, the excess of aqueous matter 

 laker into the system cannot be decompiiscd, ond 

 formed into those producle which give flavor to fruit; 

 but It niubt necessarily remain in an unaltered con- 

 dition. 



It is for the reason just given, that the quantity of 

 water in the soil should be dimmislud when succu- 

 lent fruit is ripening; we see this happen in nauuc, 

 all over the world, and there can be no doubt ot its 

 being of great imponance. Not only is the quality ol 

 such fruit unpaired by a wet sod, us has just been 

 shown, but because of its low perspiratory power the 

 Iruit will burst from excess of moisture, as occurs to 

 the plum and grape in wet seasons- The melon, 

 although on apparent exception to this rule, is noi 

 reolly eo; that Iruit acquires its highest excellence in 

 countries where the roots are always immersed in 

 water, as in the floating islands of Cashmere, the ir- 

 rigated fields of Persia, and the springy river beds of 

 India. But it is to be remembered that the leaves ol 

 this plant have an enormous respirotory po«er, aris- 

 ing portly from their large surface, and partly from 

 the thinners and consequent permeability of their tis- 

 sue, so ihot they require a greater supply of fluid than 

 most others; and, in the next place, the beat and 

 bright light of such countries oie co]mble of decom- 

 posing and altering the fluids of the fruit with a de- 

 cree of rapidity nnd force to which we here can have 

 no parallel. In this country the melon does not sue 

 ceed if its roots are immersed in water, as 1 ascer- 

 tained some years ago in the garden of the Horticul 

 turaf Society, by repeated experiments. Melons 

 were planted in eorth placed on a tank of water, into 

 which their roots quickly made their way; they grew 

 in a curvilinear iron hot house, ond were trained near 

 to the glr.ss, and consequently were exposed to all the 

 light and heat that can be obtained in this country. — 

 Ttiey grew vigorously and produced their fruit, but it 

 was not of such good quality as it would have been 

 had the supply of woter to the roots been less copious. 

 Thus, in the tropics the quantity of roin that foils in 

 short time is enormous: nnd plonts are forced by it 

 into a ropid ond poweiful vegetation, which is acted 

 upon by o light ond temperature bright oi d high in 

 proportion, the result of which ia ihj most perfect 

 oiganization of which the plants ore susceptible: 

 but, if the some quantity ' f wa er were given to the 

 same plants at similar periods in this country, a dis- 

 orgonization of their tissue would be the result, in 

 consequence of the absence of solor light in sufficient 

 quiuity. 



The effect of continuing to moke plants grow in 

 a soil more wet than suit" them is well known to be 

 not only a production of loaves and ill-formed shoots, 

 instead of flowers and fruit, but if the water is in 

 great excess, of a general yellownes of appearance, 

 owing, as some chemists think, to the destruction by 

 the water, of n blue motter which, by its niixiure 

 with yellow, forms the ordinary verdure of vegitation. 

 If this condition is prolonged, the vegittihle tissue 

 enters into a state of decomposition, and death ensues. 

 In somecasesthe jointsof the stem separate, in others 

 the plant rots oil' at the ground, and oil such results 

 are increased in proportion to the weakness of light, 

 and the lowness of temperalurc. De Candolle consid- 

 ers that the collection of eiagnonl water about the 

 neck of plants prevents the free access of the oxygen 

 of the air to the roots ; but it seems to me thot much 

 more mischief is prodnced by the coldness of the soil 

 in which water is allowed to accumulate. It seems 

 also probable that the extrication of corburetled hyt^ro- 

 gen gas is one cause of the injury sustained by plonts 

 whose roots arc surrounded by stagnant water ; but 

 npon this point we want much more satiaraciory evi- 

 dence thon we yet possess. 



It is because ot the danger of oliowing any occumnla- 

 tion of woter about the roots of plants thotdrainoge is so 

 very important. In very bibulous soils this contrivonce 

 is unnecessary; but in,oll those which ore tenacious or 

 which, from their low situation, do not permit su- 

 perfluous water to filter away freely, such a precau- 

 tion is indispensable. No person has ever seen good 

 fiuit produced by trees growing in loiids imperfectly 

 drained ; ond all experienced gardeners must be oc- 

 quointedwith coces where wet unproductive borders 

 hove been rendered fruitful by contrivances which are 

 only valuable because of their efficiency in regulating 

 the humidity of the soil. Mr. Hivar (Card, Mag. v. 



Gil) fpeoks of the utiiiiy of mixing smms in great 

 quontiiies with the foil, " ss tliey pitventihc nceiinu- 

 lation of woter in veiy wet wtatlur, and retain si fii- 

 cienl moisaire for the purpose of the plant in dry eio- 

 eons;" Olid, when we hear of such prtcoutiors as 

 ore delniled in tl e follow ing good nccoi.nt of piepar.ng 

 a vine border we only Irnin bow important it is to 

 previde cfrectuoliy for the ri Jnoval ol supiifiuous wo- 

 ter from around the roots, ond bow useless a watte of 

 money is ibat which is expended in loiming deep 'ich 

 bids of toilh. 



" In preparing a vine border," soys Mr. Griflin, 

 of Woodhall, a succcttful grower of grojics, " one 

 foot in depth of the niould fiom ihe snivate is cleared 

 out 'rom the v. hole space ; a nioin dram is ihcn sunk 

 poiollel to ihe house, ot the exiitmiiy of the border, 

 one foot lower tbon the bottom of the border ; irto 

 this, Bnioller droins ore cortiid diagonally from the 

 house across the border. 'J'be diOiiis ate tilled with 

 stone. The cross draii s keep the whole boiicni quite 

 dry; but if the subsoif be gravel, chalk, or ttone, 

 they will not be necessary. The draiiiagebeing com- 

 plete, the whole bottom is coveted with biick, stone, 

 or lime lubbitb, r.bout six inches thick, nnd on thiS 

 ia laid the compost lor the vines." ^Hvrt. I'runs. 

 IV. 11)0.) 



The pioctice of placing large quontities of potsheids 

 or broken tiles at the bottom of tnl^s, or pots or other 

 vetselfl in which plums ore looted, is only oooiher ex- 

 eniplifienlion of the greet nccifs ty of attending to the 

 iy\e humidity of the soil, ond the prevention of tiag- 

 nant water collcct'ng about the roots ; and the iiijiiry 

 committed by worms, upon the roots of plants in pete, 

 is chiefly produced by these creatines reducing the 

 earth to u plabtie state, ond dragging it cmting the 

 poteherds so os to stop up the pabtage between theB 

 ond destroy the dininnge.* 



One ef the means of giiording ihe earth agionst an 

 occess on the one bond, ond o lofs on the other, of loo 

 much water, is by paving the ground with lifts or 

 stones; and the advantage of this method have been 

 much insisted upon. But it is certain ibal, in cold 

 summers at leost, such a pauemenl pieventsthe soil 

 from acquiring the neceseorj amount of bottom heot ; 

 and it is proboble that, whi.'t with this (fleet, ond the 

 obstruction of a free comii.unication between the at- 

 mosphere and the roots of a plont, the prociice is dis- 

 ndvoniogeous rather than the reverse. 



More eomnionly rceouise is hod to the operation of 

 simple wotering, for the purpose of mnintiiining the 

 eorth ot o due state of humidity, ond to render plonts 

 more vigorous thin they otherwite would be ; an in- 

 diiipensnble operoiion in hot houses, but ol less mo- 

 ment in the open air. It is indeed doubtful whether, 

 in the lottci cote, it is not often more productive of 

 disadvantage thon of real tervice m plonts. When 

 plants are watered naturolly, ihe whole air is saluiaied 

 with humidity at the same lime us the soil is p( netra- 

 ted by the roin ; ond m this case the aqucons particles 

 mingled with the earth are veiy gradunl y introduced 

 into the ciieulating eystcm ; for the mosture ol the 

 air preAcnts a rapid pn spirotion. This opeiotion is 

 usually performed in hot dry weolher, ond must neces- 

 sarily be very limited in its effects ; it con have little 

 if nny influence upon the otniotphe e : then, the 

 parched air robs the leovcs ropidly of their moitlure, 

 so long OS the latter is nbundont ; the roots are sud- 

 denly ond violently excUed, and nfier a short lin-e ibe 

 exciting couse is fnddeiily wuhdrown by the nioincn- 

 tory supply ol wat r being cut off by evaporation, 

 and by filtration throu,'h the bibulous subsionccs of 

 which soil usuoliy coiifists. Tnen ogoin, the rapid 

 evaporotion from the soil in dry wcother bos the etlect 

 of lowering the temperature of the earth, ond this 

 hnsbeen before shown to be injurious (p. 113;) such 

 lowering, from such o cause, docs not take place 

 when plants ore refreshed by showers, because at that 

 time the dampness of the oir prevents evoporotion 

 from the soil, just os it prevents pretpirotion from the 

 leaves. Moreover, in stifl" soils ihe doshing of wa- 

 ter upon the surface has olter liiile while ihc effect 

 of "puddlii g" the ground and rendering it iinpervi- i 

 ous, so that the descent of water to the roots is impe- . 

 ded, whither it is communicated ortificiolly or by the. I 

 all of rnin.' It is, iberelore, doubtful wbcther orti- i 



'•[Glazed llower-piita arc totally unfit for most plants, ex- 

 -ent Willi ..p iiios' ctiiefiil ullrntion tu (Iridnuge, ftliif e\cn 

 Ijien tlicy :ire imich inferior lu coniinon iinelazed ones. 'I'lie 

 Imter per nit ilie el'Csn of wu.er to eBi-npc tliroufll tlicif 

 porous -Mies, wliiili is inipossil^le in the gl.nzeil pot; in 

 vhicli .r llie .pcriiiie fit lI'P lioHoni I ecoiiie 6lop|ieil, llie 

 pnrili 1 ■oaileri with »voter, llic plunt sutfers ond soon per- 

 Ijlies. A. .I.O.J ^ , 



t[\o rror is more common in this rnuntry tnr.ll «ur/a«- ^ 

 ualerui/r 'i-wlv tciinsplioilcd iroes; unil we ilo not lie^itnte ■ 

 loiiltinu I'.uit r'ull one liiilf tlie failnrrs, in ..ur dry Euinmere, 

 iirlee fto.ii thie injudicious practice. By pouring water daily I 



