82 



A DISCOURSE 



deners to keep their bottoms hollow, that nothing stagnate and fix too 

 long, wliich should be but transitory. If such curiosities strike no root 

 by September, the leaves desert them certainly at spring. The reason is 

 want of air, not moisture. Therefore in all intervals of severe frosts, and 

 rigorous winter-weather, be sparing of refreshings, and unless you per- 

 ceive their leaves crumple up and fall, (which is the language for drink,) 

 give them as sparingly as you can. Indeed, during the summer, and 

 when they are exposed, they require almost perpetual irrigation, and 

 that the liquor be well impregnated with proper compost. It is ever 

 advisable to water whilst the ground is a little moist, and not totally 

 dry, especially during the growing seasons, for it stunts the plant and 

 intercepts its progress. But in hard frosts, or foggy seasons, watering 

 your housed plants endangers them by mustiness, and a certain mildew 

 which they contract. On the other hand. 



Applications too dry create an intemperate thirstiness, and then they 

 drink unmeasurably, and fall into dropsies, jaundice, and fevers, swell, 

 languish, and rot ; and if the liquor prove too crude, (as commonly it 

 does, if taken from running and hungry fountains,) it exti nguishes the 

 natural heat, and obstructs the pores ; and therefore whenever you are 

 constrained to make use of such drink, expose it first to the warm sun 

 for better concoction, infusing sheep, pigeon, or the dung of oxen, to 

 give it body. But though spring water be so bad, slow-running river is 

 often very good, and pond water excellent, so it be sweet ; but all stink- 

 ing pools, mineral and bituminous waters, are not for our use ; and often 

 good air is as needful as good water ; worms, mouldiness, cankers, con- 

 sumptions, and other diseases, being the usual and fatal consequences 

 of these vices. 



If you be to plant in fresh and new broken-up earth, and that the 

 season or mould be too dry, it is to be watered ; but then give a com- 

 petent sprinkling, or sifting of dry and fine mould upon what you have 

 refreshed, and then beating it a little close with the back of your spade, 

 plant it successfully ; for this you will find to be much better than to water 

 it after you have planted, (as the custom is,) and as you may observe in 

 setting violets, auriculas, primroses, and other capillaries, planted in beds 

 or borders, and then dashed with a flood of water, which, so soon as the 



