512 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
June 13,1836. 
lay the hey.’’ The first field was suffering from starvation, the 
second had been, if anything, overfed by liquid manure from the 
farmyard. Garden crops take up much nitrogen ; usually the 
manure is not over-rich in that, and bad treatment makes it worse. 
Those who are suffering “from drought” might do worse than 
use a little sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda next time 
watering is done. In nine cases out of ten it will be found to 
almost do instead of water. 
At present those who have summer beds to fill and winter 
vegetables in want of planting will not be in an easy frame of 
mind. When there is water in abundance laid on in pipes and 
applied with a hose matters are all right; but those who have to 
carry it in cans, even though it is plentiful, are to be pitied, for 
such work is comparable to that of Mrs Partington’s when she 
tried to keep back the tide with a mop. If anything we can say 
could induce owners to lay on plenty of water and hose for applying 
it we would say it earnestly, for they are mis-spending money if 
they are paying for carrying water, when it would a thousand times 
more effectually run itself. 
When planting must be done in dry weather and watering 
appliances ineffectual it is more than half the battle to have strong 
.plants with a mass of earth and manure adhering to their roots. 
Plants put in deeply, planted firm with dry soil, a little cup-shaped 
basin left round each to be filled with water, and after that soaks 
away, with soil, will not suffer for a long time, for the loose earth 
will be the means of preventing the water escaping into the air. 
On a large scale, such as the planting of Cabbages, it will be found 
a good plan to draw a deep furrow in which to insert the plants 
(from beds where they were pricked-out previously among half 
loam, half manure) without the loss of a fibre if possible, and then 
to fill each furrow with water. The evening is the best time to do 
this. In the morning dry soil should be made to cover tho moist 
surface to prevent evaporation. No matter how fierce the heat, 
we have never found plants so treated suffer, and when in a week 
the roots have pushed it has been found of incalculable advantage 
to give each a little liquid manure. 
Strawberry beds are most likely to suffer in hot weather. If so 
the surface should be deeply hoed, nitrate of soda sprinkled between 
the rows, and not a sprinkling but a flooding of water given. If 
the beds have been mulched with ordinary manure some time 
before, they are not so likely to suffer; if not, a good mulching 
should be given as speedily as possible. Long grass is as good as 
anything, short chaffy lawn grass the very worst. Tan is good, 
as it keeps the fruit clean, does not prevent water descending, 
but keeps it from ascending, and after one good washing is very 
clean. 
In the vegetable quarters nothing will keep the soil moist equal 
to a good coating of partly decayed manure, and often manure so 
sapplied is much more effective than when dug-in in the usual 
manner. Machine grass between the rows of Cabbages is very 
effective, a very little thoroughly protecting the soil. 
In beds and borders leaf soil is of incalculable advantage applied 
an inch thick over the surface. Soil moistened now and so pro¬ 
tected will enable the plants to grow luxuriantly without further 
-watering for a long time. After the surface is covered with 
vegetation and the roots have burrowed 18 inches drought is not 
-Kkely to do more than to cause a denser inflorescence. Cocoa-nut 
fibre is even better still, though hardly so neat, but the luxuriance 
following its use speedily puts the fibre out of sight though not of 
usefulness. 
Even common soil makes a good mulch. Wrong though it be 
to turn the body of the soil into a loose mass, it is of great benefit 
to have an inch or so of loose soil on the surface. For this reason 
the soil should be thoroughly hoed, and that repeatedly, especially 
after watering. 
The watering-can in inexperienced hands is a source of much 
.mischief. It looks so nice in the stilly evening to have the surface 
of the ground all dark with damp that the temptation to sprinkle 
is too much for many. Either a soaking that will penetrate a foot 
at least or nothing should be given. Then the surface should be 
stirred as soon as dry enough, unless otherwise protected by mulch¬ 
ing. Dribbling the surface is worse than drought. It robs the soil 
of heat and stops the growth of plants. It entices the roots to 
the surface only to be killed. 
When water is applied it is of much service to have it exposed 
some time previously to the sun and air. Pond or river water is 
undoubtedly best, but many places are supplied by springs and deep 
wells. Such water is always cold, and when applied cold it gives 
roots a check. Soft water is known to be best, and exposure not 
only warms but softens it. When tanks cannot be provided for 
this purpose it would pay to pass the water through an ordinary 
heating boiler, under which burnt a good fire, especially when the 
water is to be applied to Vine or Peach borders. In the case of 
Melons, the cans if stood in the house or frame will enable the 
water to attain a suitable temperature in an hour or two. 
When the soil is moist, or made so and kept so, plants use the 
food at their disposal rapidly, and in the sunshine turn the feeding 
to good purpose. In dull wet weather richness does mischief often. 
In hot weather it is turned to riches. In gloomy years plant food 
abundantly applied runs into a plenitude of shoots and leaves. 
When the sun is out it is turned to fruit for this year, and fruit 
buds for next. For this reason it is good to help flagging trees 
now, not only with water, but water with “ a cinder in it.” Stable 
drainage, sewage, guano water, nitrate of soda or ammonia salts 
applied to fruit trees and bushes now will well repay in due season. 
In applying water to fruit trees it is well to remove an inch or 
so of soil and to form a basin rim with it ; then fork another 
inch, and flood with liquid manure the trees needing assistance. 
Afterwards return the removed soil, it will act as a mulch ; or, 
better, mulch thickly with manure. 
Under the hot sun and drying winds fruit trees under glass 
evaporate with extreme rapidity. It is well to remember that 
the harder the pump-handle is plied the sooner the well goes dry ; 
and it may be worth mention that soils which furnish food in 
abundance are not so much “ drawn on ’’ as others. Feed a man 
on rice or Potatoes and he must consume large quantities. Feed 
plants on water with hardly traces of the food they want, and they 
will try to make up for it by passing greater quantities through 
their system. This fact accounts for the chronic drought from 
which starved fields suffer. 
In battling with heat and drought, then, we should aim at 
securing that texture of soil which best favours retention of water 
and maintains the greatest capillary power. To soak thoroughly 
and avoid dribbling ; to have as strong plants to put out as possible, 
to injure none of their roots in the process, and to apply the water 
under the surface ; to mulch whenever practicable, and with the 
best material at command, be it only loose earth ; to seize such 
opportunities for administering food when possible, and to re¬ 
member that often enough it is not so much water as nitrogen that 
is wanted, as well as, perhaps, other food ; and last, not least, that 
under a bright sun plants work rapidly, maturing the present 
crop and storing matter, if properly fed, for the crops of the 
future.—A. H. 
[Reprinted by request of a correspondent to whom a copy of 
the paper containing this excellent article could not be supplied.] 
PlIAIUS COOKSONI^. 
Several Orchids were shown at the Drill Hall in coinpetition 
for a special prize that was offered for the best seedling, and 
Phaius Cooksonise (see fig. 92) was adjudged the coveted honour 
