January 27, 1897.] 



Garden and Forest. 



35 



Cultural Department. 



The Watering of Plants. 



DROBABLY no operation in gardening is so important as 

 *■ that of watering, and none is more difficult for amateurs. 

 A man may succeed in floriculture without having had ex- 

 perience, but if he fails it will almost surely be on account of 

 his lack of knowledge in this particular. Injudicious watering 



should be light for nearly all potted plants. It is preferable to 

 have plants in condition to take water every day when the sun 

 shines, and the evaporation ought to be sufficient to carry off 

 a daily supply. If the soil remains moist for two or three 

 days, except in freshly potted plants, I should consider inves- 

 tigation necessary, and would expect to find the roots in an 

 unhealthy condition. 



The use of manure-water for potted plants is an important 

 part in their cultivation. The pot should not be too large, and 



Fig. 6. — Mespilus grandiflora. — See page 34. 



ruins more pot-plants than all other mismanagement. It is 

 difficult to correct injury from mistakes in watering. Plants 

 stand drought better than a deluge, but overwatering is the 

 mcst common mistake. Potted plants which take a long 

 time to drain are seldom in good health. It occasionally 

 happens that plants which have made luxuriant growth choke 

 up the drainage with roots, and unless this trouble is under- 

 stood, too little or too much water may then be given. Free 

 circulation of air is essential in the soil, which for this reason 



it is always creditable to have good specimens in small pots. 

 Small pots are possible only with healthy root-action. For this 

 reason I always examine the vents in new pots, and sometimes 

 have them enlarged. Some large specimen Chrysanthemums 

 completely choked up the drainage through overfeeding, so 

 that a series of holes had to be drilled around the base of the 

 pot to allow the water to pass freely. If the water stands in the 

 pots, air is excluded, and before many days the whole mass of 

 earth would become sour and the plants die. In shifting on a 



