A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

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WAT 625 WAT
manent plants, into which several pans ten or a dozen times, the ground will
of water are poured daily during become thoroughly soaked. With
drought. This must be useless or near- annuals, verbenas, and other grouping
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ly so, as the roots which would take up plants, I have found this a most e.vcelthe
water, for the benefit of the plants, lent method. In connection with the
will form a circle at a considerable dis- watering of strawberries, a radical imtance
from the stem. Seed beds, or provement is required; for although
plants which can be regularly and tho- gardeners are prettly liberal with the
roughly watered, as radishes, lettuce, limpid fluids over the heads of the
and salading, will be much benefited,! plants, they are not good conservators
butartificial wateringoutofdoors, in the , of the quality of the fruit. It is true,
manner it is usually applied, is of little by copious watering, both the size and
service; and in the case of strawber- quantity of , the fruit is much increased ;
ries, and similar crops, mulching with ; but it is equally true that if water is
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straw, grass, or some such contrivance, used over the plants after the fruit is
which will prevent tlie rapid evapora- half grown, the latter will be much detion
of moisture from the soil, is much teriorated in quality. We all know
preferable." Card. Chron. that strawberries in a wet season are
Mr. S. Taylor, of Stoke Ferry, in the never so high flavoured as they are in a
Gardeners' Magazine for 1840, recom- dry one, and what is the reason ? Why,
mends the use of bottles with two small because there is a superabundance of
holes in the sides near the bottom, for aqueous matter in the fruit; and so it
watering plants. The bottles are buried is with the plants copiously watered
to the neck, near the roots of the flower overhead in dry seasons. In truth, it
which requires watering, and after may be laid down as a rule, if fine fla-
being filled and corked, the water is voured fruit be a desideratum, water
allowed gradually to exude through the ought never to come in contact with it
holes. "This," says that good horticulturist,
Mr. W. P. Ayres, " though
after the saccharine or maturing assimilation
commences. Hence in water-
undoubtedly an ingenious method, is ing strawberries, let it be poured from
objectionable, because the roots of the the spout of the watering pot upon the
plants are liable to be injured in plung- soil, but on no account is it to touch
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ing the bottles, and that it would require the fruit; or, what will be better, fork the
so many of them, where copious water- ground over between the plants, give it a
ing was necessary. A better plan is to good soaking, to at least the depth of a
take moderate sized flower-pots, and foot, and cover it two or three inches
having placed an inch or two of rough deep with clean straw. This will both
gravel in the bottom of each, to place prevent the evaporation of moisture.
them round the plant to be watered, and the radiation of terrestrial heat;
and fill with water, which as it perco- and as the straw, from its colour and
lates gradually through the gravel, will non-conducting qualities, will reflect
soak into the ground. For plants such instead of absorbing the heat, the fruit,
as standard roses, rhododendrons, &c., being subjected to increased tempera-
closely turfed over on lawns, or for any ture, will, in consequence, be improved
thing in a sloping situation, this is a in flavour. If water is required after
most excellent plan, as the pots filled the straw is placed on the beds, let it
with water may be placed at night, and be applied through pots, placed one
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removed the next morning, so as not to foot apart, as recommended above for
become an eyesore. Watering plants
in flower beds is at all times a difficult
matter, because if the borders are sufplants
on a lawn." Gard. Chron.
I agree with those who recommend
" sunrise as the best time for the waterficiently
full of soil to give them a con- ing of exposed plants. Evaporation no
vex form, which they always ought to doubt will then go on freely; but the
have, the water runs to the sides of the atmosphere is beginning to get warmer,
borders as fast as it is poured on. In
such cases it will be found advisable to
perforate the beds asthickly as possible,
without injuring the roots, to the depth
and the sun's rays to exert tlieir coun-
teracting influence. The darkened sur-
face—that very condition which made
the soil throw otT its heat more readily
of six or eight inches, with a stick one during the night, causes itto imbibe tho
inch in
40
diameter, and by filling these heat of the sun's rajs by day with in-
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