chap. I.] STIRRING THE SOIL. 
5 
ment. This being allowed, it is evident that 
the first step towards promoting the growth 
of any plant is to provide a fitting recept¬ 
acle for the root; and this is done by pulve¬ 
rizing the ground in which the seed is to 
be sown so as to render it in a fit state for 
the roots to penetrate it easily. Thus they 
will neither be checked in their growth for 
want of room, nor be obliged, to waste their 
strength in overcoming unnecessary obst¬ 
acles ; such as twining themselves round a 
stone, or trying to force their way through 
a hard clod of earth. The second point of 
affording the root abundance of nourish¬ 
ment may also be obtained by pulverizing 
the ground; as pulverization, by admitting 
the rain to percolate slowly through the soil, 
enables it to absorb and retain sufficient 
moisture to afford a proper and equable sup¬ 
ply of food to the spongioles, without suffer¬ 
ing the surplus water to remain so as to be 
in danger of rotting the main roots. 
These then are the reasons why it may 
be laid down as a general rule, that all 
ground should be stirred before seeds are 
sown in it; but there are other reasons which 
