Cultivating 99 



places the end of the hose (no nozzle, mind you !) 

 at one end. The trench is shallower at the near 

 end than at the other, if the ground is level, and 

 is quickly made by scraping along the ground 

 with a pointed spade. The water flows evenly 

 along for half an hour or more, gradually soaking 

 into the soil as it goes; and when enough water 

 has been given, the plants are cultivated. After 

 that the hose is turned upon the plants them- 

 selves with a nozzle screwed down to the finest 

 spray, for the leaves must also have their drink 

 and be refreshed. 



I fear me mine might be called the lazy man's 

 method, but the result is so satisfactory that I 

 have come to think it is the better way. About 

 three o'clock in the afternoon, when the dahlias 

 are in shade, the hose is brought out and a simple 

 ring sprinkler is attached to it and placed in 

 a central position. With an ordinary force of 

 water, a fine spray is thrown in a radius of 

 twenty-five feet or more. This is left in posi- 

 tion — ^maybe forgotten during the rush of other 

 work — mitil the gardener goes to his supper. 

 He moves it to another place, and three hours 

 later either he or I will shut it off. Many an 

 evening have I moved it again at eight o'clock, 

 and crept down in the dark to shut off the water 

 just before bedtime! 



