JANUARY. 15 



=\K OF THE SEASON. 



As this is generally a hot month, a few remarks 

 on watering may not be out of place, since it is an 

 operation which is much less understood than it 

 should be ; but as some experience is gained, the 

 lighter becomes the labour. As a rule, water should 

 never be given until the further withholding of it 

 would be detrimental to the plants. Habitual watering 

 in the majority of cases does more harm than good. 

 Plants left to battle with drought send their roots 

 down deep in search of moisture, and when rain does 

 come they benefit more by it than those which have 

 regular waterings all along. If the ground is dug 

 deeply, and kept in good heart, plants that have once 

 got established will bear drought for almost any 

 length of time ; but those lately planted, which have 

 not had time to " get hold," must be kept supplied, 

 or their beauty may vanish for half the season. 

 Succulent vegetables, too, which ought to be kept 

 growing quick, must have abundance, and plants in 

 pots must, of necessity, have sufficient. There are 

 two important points to be attended to in giving 

 water one is to expose the water to the sun before 

 using it, to render it soft and warm ; and the other 

 is to give a thorough soaking at once sufficient to 

 keep the ground moist for a week. Supposing the 

 supply to be limited, but regular, the best way of 

 economising both water and time is to take the 

 ground piece by piece, watering each piece in succes- 

 sion thoroughlv every evening, and then beginning 

 again as at first. Surface sprinkling brings the roots 

 to the surface in search of the moisture, which when 

 reached is insufficient to nourish them, but on the 

 contrary causes exhaustion by inducing the growth 

 of fibres within reach of the burning rays of the sun. 

 Plants in pots, in windows, and on gravel paths, are 



