50 OF THE CULTIVATION SECT. IV, 



In the pricking and planting out of crops, be fure to 

 ieIo it as early as may be; let every thing be regular, 

 (riot fparing to ufe the line) allowing always room enough 

 for this work ; and being thus treated, vegetables will 

 come forwarder, larger, and of a fupsrior flavour. 

 Thefe advantages are Teen in all things, but in lettuces 

 particularly, which often have not half the room al- 

 lowed them they mould. Over cropping robs the 

 ground of flrength to no purpofe, except increafing 

 the dunghill ; it makes it alfo inconvenient to weed, 

 rake and clean up, which in a private garden (at leaf!) 

 it is proper frequently to do. 



Dibble planting, as being eafy and expeditious, is 

 the common way of felting out plants by ; but (ex- 

 cept indeed quite final! ones] they are belt put in by a 

 iradXXfpacle or trowel. In the former method, the roots 

 are frequently doubled and diftorted, fo as to receive 

 (at leaftj a great check, if not to occafion a failure, 

 when fo put out towards winter; but in the latter way 

 the roots lie free and eafy, and prefently eftabJiih them- 

 felves in, health and flrength. There is more in this 

 than gardeners in general allow of. Ground defigned 

 to be planted, is belt dug a cay or two before wanted. 



Watering is a thing of fome importance in cultiva* , 

 tioir, though not fo much as many make it. It is. a 

 moot point, whether more harm than good is not on 

 the whole, done by it, when it is thought generally ne- 

 ceflary in a dry feafon. In a large garden, it is an 

 Herculean labour to water every thing, and fo the 

 temptation generally prevails either wholly to neglefl 

 it, or to tio it irregularly or defectively, To water 

 nothing is too much on the dry fide : but there is fuch 

 a thing as watering too much, which fpoils the flavour, 

 and makes efculents lefs wholefome. 

 " But watering will affurecily benefit fome things; as 

 (fpanngly) new planted trees, flowers and vegetables. 

 W. tenng is of ufe to fettle the earth about the roots 

 of plants newly fet, for it is by a clofe union, (as it 

 6 were) 



