WATERING. 
15 
WATERING. 
Injudicious watering does more injury to Plants in 
rooms or conservatories than most persons imagine, as 
Plants suffer from too much water as well as too little. 
Many persons think that they want water every day, 
and the more they give them the better. Others being 
very cautious will scarcely give them sufficient to sus¬ 
tain life. When Plants have had too much water, 
the leaves turn dark and flabby, and when too little, 
they turn yellow, and finally drop off. The best plan 
is not to water them till the soil in the pots appears 
dry, or their leaves droop, then give them sufficient 
water to wet the soil thoroughly down to the bottom 
of the pot, and do not give any more until they become 
dry again. Pour the water on the top of the pot and 
let it soak down to the roots, but do not let it stand in 
the pans under the pots, for it injures them very much, 
except they are aquatic Plants, and others that require 
a plentiful supply in the time of flowering, which will 
be noticed under their respective genus. The water 
used for the purpose should not be taken fresh from 
the pump, or cistern, in the winter season, but should 
stand in the room some time, or a little warm water 
may be used to take off the chill, to prevent the plants 
being checked in their growth. When the weather 
is warm and dry as it usually is at times in the spring 
and early part of summer, and the plants in full flower, 
they will require watering freely every day, especially 
such as are in small pots, and the pots full of roots. 
Those in larger pots, with more room for their roots 
