THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



655 



extent to which watering is used on some par- 

 ticular crops, and more or less on all, ^yhen 

 superior culture is an object. If all this is 

 required in the climate of that country, how 

 much more need that it should be resorted to 

 in our own, where evaporation is carried on 

 with double the rapidity that it is in that cool, 

 drizzly and humid isle ? 



Having suffered much the last two dry years 

 from a scarcity of water for our plants, we have 

 seen the ill effects of short supplies of this un- 

 portant element in vegetation; and now, with 

 the means of its more liberal use, we have al- 

 ready seen how much plants are improved. 

 A sprinkling of water is oftentimes attended 

 with real injury, for the top soil is kept damp, 

 which deceives all but the skillful cultivator; 

 and hence the bottom are constantly dry, while 

 the surface roots are constantly soaked. The 

 effect of this kind of watering, which is quite 

 too general, is, that the roots at the bottom are 

 dried up, and those at the top rotted off. When 

 water is given, it should be in sufficient quan- 

 tity to thoroughly moisten every particle of 

 soil. 



Our finest fruits are oftentimes a failure, 

 from the want of a liberal supply of water ; 

 the cracking and splitting of our large and 

 fine varieties arises, as we have before frequent- 

 ly stated, from the absence of a propei- degree 

 of moisture. If the soil is not naturally deep, 

 so that the roots can penetrate and find the 

 moisture which they need, this deficiency must 

 be supplied, or the fruits will not attain their 

 full size. It is useless to expect any other re- 

 sult. Not only should it .be supplied at the 

 root, but, if possible, over the foliage and fruit. 

 The crop of strawberries would be, undoubt- 

 edly, in many instances, doubled by half a 

 dozen liberal waterings. The roots lie near 

 the surface of the ground, and when this is ex- 

 hausted by long continued dry weather, how 

 shall the plants receive their nourishment if 

 not by artificial aid ? We wonder at the size 

 of the large strawberries which are occasion- 

 ally seen at the London exhibitions, but if we 

 knew the pains which wei-e taken to produce 

 them, they would cease to be wonders. The 

 wonder rather is, how we raise such large 

 strawberries in our own climate, where often, 

 during the entire ripening of a crop, not sufii- 

 cient rain falls to moisten the soil to the depth 

 of an inch. 



Vegetables of many sorts, particularly let- 

 tuces, caulitlowers, broccoli, &c., can only be 

 grown to perfection with the aid of liberal 

 waterings. To have them large, tender, and 

 succulent, they must not be cut off from a con- 

 stant, steady supply of water ; and, when the 

 rains do not supply this, it must be done by 

 artificial aid. It only needs a trial of those 

 raised with proper attention to moisture, with 

 such as are produced withou^it, to decide 

 which are the best. 



Every garden should, therefore, have the 



moans of commanding a ready supply of Avater, 

 It cannot be considered complete without it. 

 There should be cisterns, or wells, or reser- 

 voirs of ample capacity to afford an abundant 

 supply through the longest drought. Not that 

 we would confine watering to seasons of drought 

 alone, but that ihen, when it is more needed, 

 there should be no want. Watering, we are 

 convinced, is not half enough attended to in 

 what is generally termed moderately moist 

 weather, — for, though occasional sh(jwers may 

 invigorate the plants, cleanse the foliage, and 

 keep the surface-soil moist, there is a deficien- 

 cy beneath, which a good watering will re- 

 place, and the colour and growth of the plants 

 will surely attest its presence. 



or the details in regard to watering, we have 

 not lime and space to enter into at this time, 

 but shall reserve them for a futui-e article, 

 trusting that what we have written will have 

 shown the importance of water in all success- 

 ful horticultural operations. 



From the Louisville Journal. 



Premmm Essay on the Plow and Plowing. 



We give below the essay on the form-, drafU 

 and structure of the plow, and plowing, to which 

 was awarded the premium of the Southwestern 

 Agricultural and Mechanical Association. — 

 [Editor. 



The ylow is the most important of all the 

 implements used by the farmer. It is proper 

 it should receive proportionate attention from 

 all who are endeavoring to increase the pro- 

 ductiveness of the soil. Nothing, therefore, 

 should be overlooked which promises to throw 

 light upon its improved construction or man- 

 agement. Although much attention has been 

 bestowed upon the plow by scientific men, it 

 has not been much modified by the application 

 of any new principle since it was first made in 

 its present form. It is true that from time to 

 Itime modifications have been made to meet cer- 

 tain requisitions, and in some minor matters it 

 has been improved, yet a plow of twenty jears 

 ago and the plow of to-day differ but little in 

 form or structure, except in better selected ma- 

 terial and improvement in mechanical skill. 



While we should place the highest estimate 

 upon an implement of such importance as the 

 plow, which has remained nearly stationary as 

 regards improvement, it certainly will not do 

 to rest satisfied or to look upon it as perfect, 

 when, in every other branch of industry, the 

 best implements of yesterday is superseded 

 by one still more perfect to-day; more especi- 

 ally when the importance of stirring the soil to 

 a greater depth than is practicable with our best 

 plows is fully admitted by all farmers. 



It will be nscless in an essay of this kind to 

 review the history of the plow from its first 

 rude structure to its present state; it is thought 



