14 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
January  4,  1900. 
WATERING  IN  WINTER. 
My  first  observation  on  the  question  on  plants  “damping”  in 
frames  and  greenhouses  in  the  winter  will  possibly  take  some  persons 
by  surprise,  but  its  truth  will  be  admitted  by  others  of  wider  experience. 
It  is  this.  Numbers  of  plants  are  ruined  by  the  decay  of  their 
stems  and  the  base  of  their  leafstalks  in  winter  through  being  kept  too 
dry  at  the  roots.  The  very  fear  of  giving  water,  and  the  manner  and 
time  of  giving  it,  create  the  evil  that  it  is  desired  to  avert.  Applying 
just  suflBcient  water  to  moisten  the  surface  of  the  soil  daily,  and  no 
more,  is  the  worst  practice  that  can  be  adopted,  and  the  evil  is 
aggravated  if  the  water  is  given  towards  the  close  of  the  day. 
To  begin  with,  the  whole  of  the  plants  in  a  collection  never  require 
water  at  the  tame  time,  and  to  give  it  to  those  that  do  not  need  it  is  to 
do  them  distinct  and  decided  injury.  This  is  an  old  story,  but  it_  is 
true,  and  it  is  better  and  more  useful  to  tell  it  once  again,  and  with 
emphasis,  than  to  search  for  some  novelty  to  express  and  record 
nonsense.  Again,  to  give  a  uniform  quantity  of  water  to  all  plants, 
regardless  of  their  differing  conditions,  can  no  more  be  defended  than 
could  the  unheard  of  practice  of  making  a  weak  and  helpless  child 
drink  as  much  as  a  strong  man  engaged  in  exhaustive  work.  This 
method  of  giving  support  to  plants  and  individuals  is  alike  unreason, 
able,  yet  while  it  is  often  adopted  in  the  case  of  the  former,  common 
sense  rises  in  rebellion  at  the  very  suggestion  of  its  application  to  the 
latter.  Let  the  same  common  sense  be  exercised  in  giving  support  to 
plants,  increasing  or  diminishing  it  according  to  the  measure  of  their 
activity  and  exertions,  and  very  different  results  will  follow  than  from 
those  accruing  from  an  indulgence  in  the  free  and  easy  policy  of 
treating  all  alike  ;  for  by  this  plan  most  or  all  must  sirffer  sooner  or 
later,  some  through  being  overgorged,  others  from  starvation. 
But  to  the  question  of  damping  from  drought  at  the  roots.  It  is  in 
this  wise.  Give  daily  sprinklings,  and  what  is  the  result  ?  The  soil  is 
wet  where  there  are  few  or  no  roots  to  imbibe  the  moisture,  while  down 
below,  where  the  most  active  roots  are  established,  there  is  no  moisture 
to  imbibe.  What  follows  ?  Simply  this  :  the  plants  will  not  die  without 
a  struggle,  hence  attempt  to  absorb  through  the  stems  what  is  denied 
them  at  the  roots,  and  perish  in  their  effort  to  prolong  life,  damping 
through  the  decay  of  the  cuticle.  This  occurs  the  more  quickly  if 
water  is  given  towards  evening  and  the  night  temperature  is  very 
low,  for  dry  roots  and  a  cold  moist  atmosphere  are  a  fatal  combination. 
The  remedy  is  obviously  to  reverse  those  conditions. 
Plants  in  a  growing  state,  no  matter  what  they  are,  should  no  more 
be  allowed  to  suffer  from  drought  at  the  roots  in  winter  than  in  summer. 
In  nature  plants  and  trees  are  not  as  dry  as  dust  in  winter,  yet  they  do 
not  damp  off  in  well-drained  soil  from  which  water  passes  freely  ;  but 
they  enjoy  the  counteracting  influences  of  a  free  circulation  of  air  that 
periodically  conveys  the  moisture  from  the  surface,  leaving  the  earth 
moist  below.  Moisture  there  does  no  harm  provided  it  is  not  stagnant ; 
nor  will  moisture  in  the  soil  in  flower  pots.  Let  the  roots  have  what 
they  need  and  not  more  than  they  need,  while  the  surface  is  compara¬ 
tively  dry,  and  with  a  buoyant  atmosphere  and  genial  temperature 
there  will  be  little  or  no  danger  of  tk  e  decay  of  the  stems  or  leaves 
near  the  surface  of  the  soil. 
“  Yes,”  the  puzzled  novice  may  observe,  “  that  sounds  right  enough, 
but  how  can  we  give  water  to  plants  without  making  the  soil  wet  on 
the  surface  in  our  desire  to  keep  the  roots  moist  below  ?  ”  It  is  not  a 
question  of  momentary  wetness  of  the  surface,  for  that  does  no  harm  if 
water  is  given  when  plants  need  it,  and  only  then,  on  the  morning  of  a 
prospectively  fine  day,  or  when  the  air  can  be  warmed  artificially,  and 
the  top  ventilators  slightly  opened  for  the  dispersion  of  moisture. 
Sharp  currents  of  air  should  be  avoided  through  the  front  sashes, 
these  causing  a  chill  to  the  plants  by  arresting  the  transit  of  sap. 
Anyone  can  have  a  conclusive  example  of  this  who  may  happen  to  have 
Vines  in  full  leaf  in  frosty  weather  in  March,  the  roots  being  in  an  out¬ 
side  border,  and  the  stems  encased  in  hay  bands,  for  he  has  only  to 
remove  a  portion  of  the  covering  and  expose  a  few  inches  of  the  stem  of 
one  of  them  to  the  frost  and  the  leaves  will  speedily  flag,  no  matter 
what  the  temperature  of  the  house  may  be.  Permit,  then,  no  sharp  wind 
to  drive  through  the  ventilators  directly  against  plants  in  greenhouses  in 
the  winter.  The  air  in  a  plant  structure  can  be  speedily  changed 
through  the  top  ventilators  alone,  the  cold  outside  air  sinking  by  its 
weight  into  the  house  and  displacing  the  lighter,  because  warmer,  air 
inside.  Admitting  air  without  a  draught  or  sensible  inrush  of  cold 
is  the  secret  of  successful  ventilation. 
To  return  to  watering  plants  in  greenhouses  in  winter.  They 
should  be  examined  every  morning,  and  water  as  warm  as  the  house 
given  to  those  that  are  more  or  less  dry  on  the  surface,  and  those 
alone,  passing  all  others,  even  if  they  remained  wet  for  a  week.  But 
in  this  matter  thought  must  be  exercised,  always  remembering  that  a 
great  mass  of  soil  containing  few  roots  may  get  drier  wi^h  impunity, 
and  even  with  benefit  to  the  plant,  than  can  a  lesser  bulk  of  soil  con¬ 
taining  many  roots  ;  or,  in  other  words,  a  large  plant  well  rooted  in  a 
small  pot  will  take,  and  must  have,  more  water  than  should  be  given 
to  a  small  plant  not  well  rootecJ^iu^a  large  pot.  If  v^er  is  applied 
to  the  plants  when  the  soil  is  in  a  ^ate  to  require  it,  OTimbling  more 
or  less  when  rubbed,  it  is  very  soon  drier  on  the  surface  than  it  is 
below,  provided  sufficient  be  given  to  pass  to  the  drainage ;  and  it 
must  be  given  to  that  extent,  or  the  work  will  not  be  well  done.  It 
is  well  if  not  more  than  that  is  applied,  especially  in  damp  houses, 
for  a  stream  passing  through  the  soil  indicates  success,  rendering  the 
air  of  the  house  moister  than  is  desirable  under  the  circumstances. 
Water  should  be  used,  not  wasted.  It  should  be  given  sufficiently, 
but  not  in  excess,  to  plants  that  need  it,  and  withheld  entirely  from 
those  that  do  not  require  any.  There  must  be  no  half  waterings,  no 
dabblings  or  dribblings,  no  spilling  on  stages  or  floors,  and  any  that 
accidentally  falls  where  it  can  do  no  good,  but  may  do  harm,  should 
be  promptly  dried  up.  That  is,  as  far  as  my  experience  goes,  the  way 
to  water  plants  in  greenhouses  in  the  winter.  They  must  not  suffer 
through  drought  then  any  more  than  at  any  other  periods,  but  at  the 
same  time  there  is  great  danger  in  forcing  water  on  them  when 
the  soil  already  contains  sufficient  for  their  support  during  the  twenty- 
four  hours  next  ensuing. 
A  word  on  imported  Camellias.  Healthy-looking  plants,  set  with 
buds,  in  small  pots,  have  generally  been  grown  in  damp  frames  or 
moist  pits,  and  the  pots  are  usually  filled  with  roots.  If  these  plants 
are  arranged  on  open  stages  in  dry  houses  there  is  great  danger 
in  letting  the  soil  get  too  dry  before  giving  water.  As  a  rule  they 
are  best  stood  on  a  close  base,  and  damp  rather  than  otherwise ;  for  if 
dry  air  rises  upwards,  such  as  from  hot-air  pipes,  and  acts  directly  on 
the  under  sides  of  the  leaves,  the  moisture  is  extracted  from  them  too 
rapidly,  the  leaves  curl  and  the  buds  fall.  It  is  better  to  syringe  them 
occasionally  on  dry  days  than  to  permit  extreme  transpiration ;  and  on 
no  account  must  the  soil  get  so  dry  at  any  time  as  to  shrink,  even 
slightly,  from  the  sides  of  the  pots,  or  there  will  be  no  flowers. 
It  is  safer  to  err  in  slightly  overwatering  instead  of  underwatering 
these  root-bound  Camellias,  bat  an  opposite  course  will  be  safer  in 
the  case  of  plants  with  a  limited  extent  of  active  roots  in  large 
pots. — J.  _ 
EXPERIMENTAL  GARDENS. 
Since  the  inauguration  of  County  Councils  that  part  of  technical 
education  known  as  horticulture,  which  should  be  of  inestimable  value 
eventually  to  the  cottagers  of  England,  has  received  in  some  counties 
special  attention — we  may  notably  mention  the  counties  of  Surrey, 
Kent,  Essex,  Worcestershire,  Derbyshire,  and  Cheshire.  We  must  not 
omit  to  mention  also  the  excellent  work  the  Duke  of  Bedford  is  doing 
in  practical  horticulture  at  the  experimental  fruit  garden  at  Ridgmont. 
Where  there  is  no  stint  of  money  and  brains  the  results  should  be 
gratifying  to  everyone  concerned,  and  of  practical  utility  to  every 
cultivator  of  the  soil. 
In  addition  to  the  above  mentioned  counties  it  may  interest  your 
readers  to  know  that  in  the  Isle  of  Wight  something  is  being  done  to 
further  horticulture  from  a  practical  point  of  view,  and  with  that 
object  in  view  the  County  Council  has  acquired  a  piece  of  land  which 
was  formerly  a  market  garden  in  Newport,  about  li  acre  in  extent. 
This  unfortunately  will  be  much  reduced  in  the  near  future  by  the 
erection  of  a  free  library  and  other  buildings.  Still  sufficient  ground 
will  remain  to  cai’ry  out  trials  of  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables  on  a 
small  scale,  which  should  result  in  much  good  being  done  towards  the 
development  of  horticulture  in  the  Garden  Isle. 
A  range  of  greenhouses  has  been  built  in  which  will  be  grown  fruits,, 
flowers,  and  plants  for  experimental  and  teaching  purposes.  In  the 
south-east  corner  of  the  garden  is  a  small  rockery  for  a  mis¬ 
cellaneous  assortment  of  rock  plants  and  Ferns.  On  the  walls  are 
trained  trees  of  Figs,  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Apricots,  Cherries,  Apples, 
Pears,  and  Plums,  whilst  against  the  piers  are  double  cordon  Apples 
and  Pears. 
In  the  open  are  varieties  of  many  of  the  aforementioned  fruits  in 
bush,  pyramid,  half- standard,  and  standard  form,  a  large  bed  of 
Gooseberries  in  thirty  varieties,  and  also  a  bed  of  Red,  White,  and 
Black  Currants  in  fifteen  varieties.  Raspberries  are  represented  by 
thirteen,  and  Strawberries  by  twenty-five  varieties  respectively. 
Between  the  rows  of  fruit  trees,  which  are  about  40  feet  apart,  will 
be  grown  flowers  and  vegetables. 
The  past  season  has  not  been  ore  of  the  most  advantageous  to  a 
newly  planted  garden,  yet  under  the  circumstances  the  results  have 
been  most  satisfactory.  The  primary  objects  of  the  garden  are  : — • 
1,  To  test  the  value  of  new  fruits,  flowers,  and  vegetables  along¬ 
side  the  older  varieties,  also  to  ascertain  their  value  for  cropping 
purposes  and  the  quality  of  their  produce. 
2,  To  teach  by  practical  demonstration  various  horticultural 
operations.  These  I  need  not  enumerate,  as  your  readers  are  fully 
acquainted  with  them. 
3,  To  illustrate  forms  of  plant  life,  their  habits  of  growth,  and 
cultural  requirements. 
4,  To  test  the  effects  of  manuring  and  non-manuring,  and  the 
effects  of  different  manures  in  varying  quantities  on  different 
subjects. 
5,  To  test  varying  methods  of  treatment  on  similar  varieties  of 
subjects  with  an  object  of  ascertaining  information  for  practical  use. 
6,  To  test  the  effects  of  various  fungicides  and  insecticides. 
7,  To  show  the  advantages  of  good  cultivation  over  the  bad  and 
indifferent. 
The  latter  object  has  been  fully  shown  during  the  past  season.  The 
trees,  which  were  mulched  after  planting,  and  received  during  the 
summer  periodical  syringings,  made  free  growth  and  produced  healthy 
foliage,  whilst  those  left  to  take  care  of  themselves  were  stunted  in 
growth  with  small  and  thin  foliage. — S.  H. 
