Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1877 — Watering Plants. [ARTICLE]

Watering Plants.

E. S. Rand, Jr., in his “Window Gardening,” says of watering plants: Watering is one of the most difficult subjects to prescribe by rule, yet there are some rules of general application. Let it always be done with a watering-pot with afiine rose, such as may be procured at any tinman’s. The advantage of this is, it allows the water to fall drop by drop over the whole surface of the soil, whereas, if a pitcher is used, the plants are deluged, or holes are made pi the earth by the stream of water, and the loots not unfrequently disturbed. Let it be done regularly; the morning is the best time, and once ft day. The surface of the soil should never Ih± allowed to become perfectly dry, nor should it be sodden with moisture. Tlie temperature of the water used is of vital importance. It should lie neither cold or warm, but just the temperature of the

room. Thus no check, or chill, or undue excitement is given to the roots, both r6ots and branches being equally warm. A good plan is, to set over night a pan of water among the flowers, then you will be sure of a sufficiency of water of the proper temperature for the morning watering. If this is too much trouble, remember in watering, it is better to have the water too warm than too cold; that is, of a higher rather than a lower temperature than the roots and branches. Now as to the quantity of the water. No rule of universal application can be prescribed. What is life to one class of plants is death to another. The amount of water necessary to make a calla lily thrive would kill a cactus or a heath, and yet the drouth necessary for a cactus would be death to the heath. A good rule, however, is never to allow the sod to become dusty or muddy, and with drainage iu potting, the latter is easily prevented; by regularly watering, the former. •Never allow water to stand in the saucers of thepots, unless the plants are semi-aquatic.