CHAPTER III 



WATERING PLANTS 



Some persons water their plants every day, with- 

 out regard to the season, and give just about the same 

 quantity one day that they do another. The natural 

 result is that in winter their plants are weak and 

 spindling, with yellow leaves, and few if any flowers. 

 The owner will tell you that she "don't see what ails 

 her plants. She is sure she gives them all the water 

 they need, and she never forgets to do this." If she 

 were to forget to do this occasionally it would be a 

 great deal better for the plants. In summer the 

 evaporation of moisture from the soil is rapid, because 

 of warmth and wind, but in winter this goes on slowly, 

 and the amount of water given should be regulated by 

 the ability of the soil to dispose of it. Where too 

 much is given, as has been said in the chapter on 

 potting, the soil is reduced to a condition of muddiness, 

 unless good drainage has been provided, and those 

 who give too much water generally neglect this item. 



Another woman will give water in little driblets, 

 "whenever she happens to think of it." The result is 

 that her plants are chronic sufferers from lack of 

 moisture at the roots. The wonder is that they contrive 

 to exist. Turn them out of their pots and you will 

 generally find that the upper portion of the soil is 

 moist, and in this what few roots there are have 

 spread themselves^ while below it the soil is almost 

 as dry as dust, and no root could live there. Plants 

 grown under these conditions are almost always dwarf 

 and sickly specimens, with but few leaves, and most 

 of these yellow ones. You will find that plants grown 



