654 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



A chapter on this subject we have thought 

 not irapplicable at this time. Our ideas of 

 gardening have, in the main, been derived 

 from the works of English cultivators, — our 

 own horticultural literature being, of a neces- 

 sity, yet seant}^, and, in the main, borrowed 

 from the former. So far as general principles 

 are concerned, there is no difference in this re- 

 spect, whether we study the one or the other ; 

 but in regard to details there is a vast differ- 

 ence, and they are as widely unlike in many 

 things as can well be imagined. But though 

 vre follow so nearly iu most instances the prac- 

 tice of English writers, in one we fall short — 

 far short of them. And this one is in the use 

 of water. Though v>'ith an average temj»era- 

 ture several degrees higher, a bright sunshine 

 far stronger, and a fresh breeze direct from the 

 tropics, we think far less of the importance of 

 water than they do, and scarcely use it, except 

 Avhen necessity requires, only for the growth 

 and perfection of plants in pots. 



It is not necessary that we should enter into 

 a statement of the difference between the cli- 

 mate of Great Britain and the United States, 

 as we have dt)ne so bef)re, in our previous vol- 

 umes, and have shown how much more mild 

 and cool the climate of the former is in sum- 

 mer. The average quantity of rain is nearly 

 the same as our own, varying from thirty-five 

 to forty-five inches ; but it iS distributed much 

 more evenly, falls in smaller quantities and 

 much oftener, and is more effective from tb.e 

 better condition the plants are in to receive it, 

 their leaves not being so much affected as by 

 the higher temperature and atmospheric dry- 

 ness of our warm summers. True, occasional 

 seasons of drought occur in Great Britain, as 



the advice to apply water to almost every fruit 

 tree, plnnt or vegetable ; and, as a sample of 

 such advice, we quote the following : — 



Marshall, an old and experienced author, re- 

 marks, " that strawberries and cauliflowers 

 should generally be Avatered in a dry season ; 

 strawberries, more particularly when in bloom, 

 in order to set the fruit — and the cauliflowers 

 when they show fruit, in order to swell the 

 head: in a light S(nl this ought never to be 

 omitted. In very dry weather, seedlings, as- 

 paragus, early turnips, carrots, radishes, and 

 small salads, will need an evening watering." 

 lie adds, " Water to the bottom and extent of 

 the roots as much as may be. The wetting 

 only the surface of the ground is of little use, 

 and of some harm, as it binds the earth, and 

 so prevents showers, dews, air, and sun from 

 entering the soil, and benefiting the roots as 

 they otherwise would do. The ground about 

 plants which are frequently watered should be 

 occasionally stirred and raked. Many things 

 are impatient of being kept wet about the 

 stalks, and tlierefore watering such plants 

 should be generally at a little distance." He 

 recommends " watering the roots of wall trees 

 in dry weather effectually ; watering wall trees 

 with an engine in the evening refreshes them 

 much, and helps to rid the trees and wall of 

 insects and tilth." 



Our cultivator complains of the mildew upon 

 the gooseberry. Read how English gardners 

 treat their bushes : "By preparing," says Lou- 

 don, " a very rich soil, and by watering and 

 the useof li(|uid manure, spading and thinning, 

 the large fruit of the prize collection is pro- 

 duced. Not content with watering at the root, 

 and over the top, the Landcashire connoiseur, 



in our country, but they are only comparatively when he is growing for exhibition, ph^es a 



dry, and vegetation does not suffer as during 

 one of our July or August droughts, when it 

 would seem as if every particle of moisture was 

 exhausted from the soil. While with us agri- 

 cultural crops are often severely injured by 

 excessive droughts, in Great Britain they are 

 only damaged by excessive dampness. This 

 difl'erence of atmospheric moisture, though un- 

 derstood by many who a. e conversant with the 

 climate of that country, is not sufficiently 

 known to render our remarks understood with- 

 out this brief comparison. 



As we have above stated, while we follow so 

 implicitly many of the directions of English 

 cultivators, we fail iu one of them, viz : the 

 applicrition of water. Why this is so, we are 

 not able to say. We rarely water garden crops 

 of any kind; occasionally we look after some 

 favourite plant, and see that it is duly supplied 

 with this element till well established, when it 

 is left to itself, — but no systematic attempt is 

 made here, as in Britain, to water whole crops 



small saucer of water immediately under each 

 gooseberry, only three or four of which he 

 leaves on a tree. This he technically calls 

 sucklin»:." 



" Water," says Loudon, " is essential to a 

 good crop of strawberries in dry weather, and 

 may be performed on a large scale by means 

 of a barrel fitted in a proper manner, or, on 

 ordinary occasions, by a common watering pot. 

 Some amateurs grow their plants in beds hav- 

 ing small open-built channels as alleys, and 

 then, the beds being formed on a perfect level, 

 by filling the alleys with water, it penetrates 

 the soil of the beds on each side." 



IIoll_yhocks — " If dry weather sets in," says 

 Turner, "keep them well watered after mulch- 

 ing." " Continue," he again says, " to water 

 dahlias over the foliage every evening during 

 dry weather, and practice a good root watering 

 once a week, according to the weather." 

 " Phloxes," says one of the best cultivators of 

 this fine flower, " should receive a good water- 



of either fruit or vegetables. Recently having : ing once a week." 



occasion to look over some of the horticultural We might multiply these quotations to any 

 works of the most experienced English writers, I extent, but they will be sufficient to show to 

 we were struck with the frequent repetition of j those not familiar with English gardening, the 



