in all things, but in lettuces particularly, 
which often have not half the room allowed 
them they should have. Over-cropping robs 
the ground of strength to no purpose, except 
increasing thedunglv.il; it makes it also incon- 
venient to weed, rake, and clean up, which 
in a private garden, at least, it is proper fre- 
quently to do. 
Shading of new-planted tilings, particularly 
flowers, is of much benefit, and that in pro- 
portion as the season is sunny, as neglecting 
this business has frequently proved : a- a little 
water in a cloudy time does plants much 
good, so when shaded. 
Strawberries and cauliflowers are generally 
i watered in a dry season ; that is, the straw- 
berries when in bloom, in order to set 
the fruit, and the cauliflowers when they 
shew fruit, in order to swell the head. In 
a light soil, this ought particularly to 
be done. In very dry weather, aspara- 
gus seedlings, early turnips, carrots, radishes, 
and small salads, will need watering. Slips, 
I cuttings, and layers of any hind, will need 
water. Pots of flowers must have it fre- 
quently. 
When watering is undertaken, let it be a 
I complete business ; i. e . to the bottom and 
1 extent of the roots, as much as may be. The 
wetting only the surface of the ground is of 
i little use, and of some certain harm, as it 
, binds and cracks the earth, and so excludes 
th' 1 benefit of showers, dews, air and sun, 
from entering the soil, and benefiting the 
roots as they otherwise would do. Wetting 
the surface' of the ground, however, in 
a summer’s evening, makes a cool atmo- 
1 sphere; a dew is formed, which pervades the 
I leaves, and helps to fill their exhausted 
vessels. 
Watering the roots of wall-trees, (if dry 
weather) when the fruit is setting, is bv some 
| thought necessary. The best way to do 
this effectually, is to make a few holes at the 
j some distance from the tree with a smooth 
! sharp- pointed stake, the better to let the 
water down; but this may wound the roots, 
and should only be practised in a light soil, 
i and very dry season. To young trees only 
j it cun however be of use, tor the roots of old 
ones run far and wide ; and it is the small 
fibres of these distant roots, on which the 
tree chiefly depends for fond. Vines should 
I have no water till they are off blossom, 
(July) and the fruit as big as large pins’ heads ; 
i and' then if the season is very hot and dry, 
i watering the roots twice a week will help the 
fruit to swell. 
As watering is apt to make ground hide- 
i bound and unsightly, let the surface be oc- 
1 casionally stirred and raked, which will make 
j future waterings enter the ground the bet- 
ter; when the ground is hard on the top, 
the Water runs away from its proper place, 
and half the labour' is lost. Many things 
are impatient of being kept wet about the 
shanks, and therefore watering should be ge- 
nerally at a little distance. 
The quality of water used for refreshing 
.plants is a material thing, and is very various 
in its nature, according to the peculiar 
earths and mineral substances that it passes 
through. Pain water is by far the best, as 
appears by the verdure and vivacity it gives. 
Pond water is next in fitness, and river 
water follows. Well water is ot least account, 
though local circumstances occasion its use 
GARDENING. 
the most. So that in forming a judgment 
concerning water ng, it is nrtt simply to be 
consi dered, whether plants should be watered ; 
but whether with well-water, and that too 
from a pump. Pump-water, if Used directly, 
is so cold in summer, that it is found preju- 
dicial to plants: and great cold so contracts 
their vessels, that they perfoim their proper 
offices with difficultv, and become diseased. 
The management of a garden, as some- 
what distinct from the cultivation of it, is an 
object of consequence ; that is, to keep it in 
such order, that it may not fail in those ge- 
neral impressions of pleasure it is capable of 
affording, when things are shewn in their 
best manner. A garden may be cultivated 
so as to be profitable ; and yet not conduct- 
ed so as to be agreeable to walk in, which 
in a private garden is a circumstance surely 
to be lamented. The proper appearance dt' 
a well managed one is expressed by the word 
neat. Let all be done that can be in order 
to it. 
To be neat, weeding must be industriously 
followed up, and all litter that is made in 
working, quickly carried off. d he ground 
also should lie frequently stirred and raked 
between crops, and about the borders, to 
give all a fresh appearance. 1 here is a 
pleasantness to the eye in new-broken earth: 
and when there are no flowers left in the 
borders, this gives an air of culture, and is 
always agreeable. The observation is parti- 
cularly meant to apply in autumn, that the 
garden may not become drear\ too soon, 
and so bring on winter before its time. An 
asparagus-fork is expeditious and useful in 
this case; but it must lie slightly used, lest 
it disturb the roots of plants too much. Ve- 
getables should not be suffered to rock them- 
selves by wind, so as Ip form holes round 
their stems, but be well earthed up or other- 
wise supported. 
Trees and shrubs should be constantly 
freed from suckers and dangling shoots, and 
wall trees ought to be regularly kept in order. 
Grass plats and walks should have their 
edges occasionally cut, and be mowed as 
often as there is the least hold for the scythe, 
for they lose much of their beauty, when the 
grass gels long; leaves should not be suf- 
fered to remain on them, as it stains the 
gras;; and worm-casts should be cleared 
away. Edgings of all sorts should be kept 
iu good order, as having ^.singularly neat ef- 
fect in the appearance of a garden. The 
dead edgings will sometimes, and the live 
edgings often, want putting to rights ; either 
cutting, clipping, or making up complete. 
Where there are no edgings, or but weak 
ones, let t he earth bordering on the walks be 
kept firm, and now and then worked up by a 
line in moist weather, beating if smooth with 
the spade. 
Some fruits may need support, by tying 
their weak branches when they get heavy, 
to stakes, & c. Rows of raspberries and beans 
are kept neatly up in their lines, by putting 
in here and there a st;ke, and using pack- 
thread lengthwise ; and thus will they bear 
better, and be more conveniently gathered. 
Strawberries of fine heavy soi ls, will be pre- 
served from getting dirty and rotten, by ly- 
ing their stems to little sticks ; by this prac- 
tice the fruit also gets better ripened, and of 
a finer flavour. Some persons lay tiles, or 
moss round the plants, when the fruit is lialf- 
8 IT 
grown ; but this is not, generally, so well, 
| Only it has the advantage in keeping the 
! ground cooler in a hot season. The first and- 
finest scarlets best deserve this trouble. 
Flowers should he frequently tied up, and 
dead and dangling parts trimmed off. Some 
of them cannot do without support, and 
many sorts are made more secure and beau- 
tiful by proper ties. It this business is ne- 
glected, a heavy rain or strong wind may 
come, and lav alt prostrate, especially about 
the equinoctial seasons ; but weakness or 
their own weight, will often bring flowers 
down, 
The sticks used for flowers, should be 
of smooth wood, as hazel or sallow, or of 
neat painted slips of deal, with or without an 
ornamental head ; white is the best colour, 
on account of its contrast with the leaves. 
Decaying flowers should be timely trim- 
med or removed, and perennials should be 
regularly freed from the parts running to 
seed, (except so much as n»ay be wanted) as: 
the production of seeds weakens the root 
much ; sometimes even causing death, and 
thus many curious perennials have been lost, 
especially the first year of planting them. 
To preserve any particular sort therefore, let 
the stems be cut down as soon as the flowers 
appear to be going off, or to secure the 
root in strength, let them not flower at all the 
first year. 
Of Propagation . — Plants are propagated 
by seeds, suckers, slips, off-sets, divisions, 
cuttings, layers, and grafts. 
By seed is the most general method of pro- 
pagation, and plants raised any other way 
are seldom so fine. Those plants from seed 
which have never been removed, are com- 
monly handsomer, and come forwarder, 
than those tiiat have been transplanted, pro- 
vided they were sown in a proper soil and 
situation. 
Commonly speaking, new seed is to be 
preferred to old, as growing the more lux- 
uriantly, and coming up the surer and quick- 
er. d his circumstance induces some pri- 
vate persons to save their own seed that 
they may not be deceived in buying old for 
new seed ; a trick of trade, it is to be hoped, 
not practised by every seedsman. Yet a 
little mixture of old seed is sometimes pro- 
per, because the new is perhaps cut off, and 
the old saved, by being a day or two later 
in coming up. 
If old seed is knowingly sown, some al- 
lowance in point of time must be made. 
Peas and beans of two } ears old, arc by some 
preferred to new, as not running so much to 
straw. The same may be said of cucum- 
bers and melons. 
As to the age of seeds, at which they may 
be sown and germinate, it is uncertain, and 
depends very much how they are preserved. 
Seeds kept from the air and moisture by 
being buried deep in the ground will continue 
a great many years without corruption. 
Peas and beans will germinate very well at 
seven ) ears of age ; but the seeds of lettuces, 
onions, kidney-beans, and some others,are not 
to be depended upon after a wear or two; 
and though generally speaking the smaller 
seeds are of the least duration, yet their 
maintenance of vegetative power' depends 
much upon the texture of the seed, with 
respect to its coat, and the oil it contains, 
&c. 
