66 
WATERING. 
[chap. III. 
fresh leaves or blossoms, it requires abun¬ 
dance of water; as it does when in flower, or 
when the fruit is swelling. In autumn, on 
the contrary, when the fruit is ripening, and 
in winter, when the plant is in a state of 
perfect rest, very little water is necessary, 
and much is positively injurious, as being 
likely either to excite a morbid and unna¬ 
tural action in the vessels, or even to bring 
on rottenness and decay. Water is neces¬ 
sary for seeds to induce them to germinate; 
but much of it is very injurious to young 
plants when they first come up, as it un¬ 
settles their roots, and almost washes them 
away. The roots, also, are at first too weak 
to imbibe water; and the plants feed on the 
nourishment contained in the cotyledons of 
the seeds. It is when the second pair of 
leaves has opened that water is required, 
though it should at first be given sparingly. 
When the plant begins to grow vigorously, it 
requires more food; and if it be then kept too 
short of nourishment, it becomes stunted in 
its growth. The quantity of water requisite 
also depends on the kind of leaves that the 
plant unfolds. A plant with large broad 
