oo 
GARDENS AND THEIR MEANING 
to grow. An old hand would consider this a great joke ; he 
would be tempted to remark that if her idea was to bury 
seeds and then simply linger about, her best crop would 
consist chiefly of great expectations. 
Experienced gardeners take this matter very seriously and 
have a great deal to say about the care of crops at this stage. 
"Tend the crop as you would tend pet animals," says one. 
" Water and stir the soil as untiringly as a cook does her 
kettle " are the words of another. But the bother of it ! And 
after all, what difference does it make } The gardener answers 
that the surface of the land hardens and crusts over if it is 
left untended. A hard soil that has begun to cake effectually 
blocks the progress of the delicate seedlings which are try- 
ing with all their might and main to push their tiny heads 
through. More than this, it does not offer at all the right 
consistency for soaking up rainfall and dew. Soil, above all 
things, should be porous and spongy. If it fails in this, the 
water (except, of course, in case of a heavy downpour, when 
the earth cannot help getting drenched) quickly drains off into 
the hollows, where it settles in puddles. In the meanwhile the 
thirsty roots remain high and dry, and the water, all too soon, 
evaporates and becomes nothing but a memory. 
Now roots have a wonderful way of seeking their water 
supply. In whatever direction water may lie, their tendency 
is to grow toward it. A deep source is an advantage, for the 
deeper it is, be it natural or artificial, the more unfailing will 
probably be the reservoir. The turn roots take, therefore, is 
closely connected with the method of watering. Thorough 
soaking means deep-striking roots, while surface watering 
means -shallow roots. This latter method of treating soil suits 
weeds to perfection ; they want no better invitation. A mul- 
titude of tiny seeds, as we know, are always lying dormant in 
the dressing. Others, perhaps, have been flying with the wind 
