WATER. 



308 



WATER. 



either artificially or naturally from 

 the surface. This would he of great 

 advantage in dry soils, not only to 

 crops of herbaceous vegetables, and to 

 the plants of flower-gardens, but to 

 fruit-trees, forest trees, and useful 

 or ornamental shrubs. It would be 

 more especially useful in the case 

 of orchards to set the blossoms in 

 spring, and to swell off the fruit in 

 autumn. It would produce astonish- 

 ing effects in the case of fruit-trees 

 planted against walls, and on vines 

 planted in prepared borders, and on 

 peach-trees in a state of forcing. The 

 only objection to this mode of apply- 

 ing water is the expense. 



Water considered with reference to 

 its quality, should be without the ad- 

 mixture of extraneous mineral sub- 

 stances, such as acids or alkalies ; and 

 it should be of the same temperature 

 as the soil, or higher rather than 

 lower. In order that it should be of 

 the same temperature as the soil, it is 

 necessary to expose it to the action 

 of the atmosphere in ponds or basins 

 before using, and even when taking the 

 water from such ponds or basins, the 

 surface stratum of the water ought 

 always to be taken by dipping in the 

 watering-pot in such a manner as that 

 only the surface of the water should 

 run into it. In the application of 

 water to plants, the most general mode 

 is to pour it at their roots; but in 

 doing this it is not necessary that the 

 water should touch the stems or the 

 collar of the plant. On the contrary 

 the stems of tender plants, and even the 

 soil for an inch or two all round them, 

 is better kept dry ; because the mois- 

 ture on the collar is apt to create de- 

 cay. The fibres which absorb the 

 moisture and convey it to the leaves 

 of the plants, are always extended to 

 some distance from the stem ; and 

 hence it follows that a plant may be 

 moistened immediately round the stem 



j without rendering it any service, but, 

 on the contrary, incurring the risk of 

 rotting it ; while if watered at some 

 distance from the stem, it may be 

 nourished in reality, and yet have the 

 appearance of being starved for want of 

 moisture. 



For certain kinds of plants, such 

 as the Hydrangea and the Balsam, 

 Coxcombs, Chrysanthemums, and 

 others which are of vigorous growth, 

 water may be mixed with manure ; 

 such as concentrated stable-dung, 

 recent sheep's-dung, or any other de- 

 scription of animal manure which is 

 soluble in water. For some plants, 

 such as heaths and most of the hair- 

 rooted shrubs and herbs, this liquid 

 manure is found to be injurious ; but 

 for many others, applied when they 

 are in a growing state, it is found 

 greatly to increase their vigour. 



Water as an element of landscape 

 scenery, is exhibited in small gardens 

 either in ponds or basins, of regular, 

 geometrical, or architectural forms ; 

 or in ponds or small lakes of irregu- 

 lar forms in imitation of the shapes 

 seen in natural landscape. In general 

 all geometrical or architectural basins 

 of water ought to have the margins of 

 masonry, or at least of stones placed 

 so as to imitate a rocky margin. The 

 reason is, that by these means the 

 artificial character is heightened, and 

 also a colour is introduced between the 

 surrounding grass, vegetation, gravel, 

 or dug-ground, which harmonises the 

 water with the land. Artificial shapes 

 of this kind should never be of great 

 diameter, because in that case the ar- 

 tificial character is comparatively lost, 

 and the idea of nature occurs to the 

 spectator. When round or square, 

 they should not be of greater diame- 

 ter than the house or building to 

 which they belong ; but a better ef- 

 fect will be produced by their being 

 smaller, as is shown in the architec- 



