FOSTEKING Or THE SEEDLINGS. 277 



AETICLE 3. 



Special fostering of the seedlings. 



It may be found necessary or advantageous to foster the growth 

 of the young plants by watering them, and by weeding and hoeing 

 and manuring the soil round them. 



§ 1. Watering. 



Mere superficial watering should be avoided. On this account 

 handwatering should be effected in one of three ways :— either (i) a 

 hollow a few inches deep should be made round each seedling and 

 the soil in it loosened before each operation, or (ii) a hole of the 

 right depth should be bored obliquely on one side and the water 

 poured therein, or (iii) an amphora^shaped porous, earthenware jar 

 should be buried on one side of each seedling and filled from time 

 to time. In the last case the downward taper of the jar affords two 

 important advantages ; a given quantity of water stands at a higher 

 level than if they base were broad, and a large capacity is secured 

 without making the vessel too long. 



The number of times water should be given will depend on the 

 nature of the soil and locality, the requirements of the species, and 

 the mode of watering. Although during the season of dormant ve- 

 getation the plants need not be watered, yet, if that season coincides 

 with the hot weather, watering will shorten it very appreciably 

 both by making it begin earlier and end later. 



Owing to its great costliness, watering should, as a rule, be 

 limited to the following four cases, and then only when the 

 attendant outlay is not prohibitory : — 



(i) When vegetative activity, beginning with the summer 

 rains, continues throughout the cold weather and does not cease 

 until the setting in of the hot weather. The season of repose may 

 be delayed by watering towards the end of the cold and the begin- 

 ning of the hot weather, so as to strengthen the seedlings in order 

 that they might make a sudden vigorous start at the commence- 

 ment of the next summer rains. 



(ii) When vegetative activity starts afresh in spring and con- 

 tinues right up to the summer rains, ceasing only with the com- 

 mencement of water. A copious watering may be given just when 

 the new foliage is due, so as -to help the seedlings to make a good 

 start, and the operation may be repeated during the hot weather 

 each time there was any sign of languishing vegetation. 



(iii) In every case on the occurence of long breaks during the 

 first half of the summer rains, in order to maintain a continuous 



