The Sun.
London, England, 1832-12-07 00:00:00

The FLOATING GARDENS of CASHMERE.

(From the Asiatic Journal.)

The city of Cashmere is situated in the midst of nu,
tnerous lakes, connected with each other, and with the
river Vedusta, by canals, separated by narrow lines and
insulated plots of grounds ; in some, localities so far raised
above the water-line as to be out of danger of submersion
on any rise of the water; but the greater portion lying
so low as to be subjected to be drowned, in considerable
inundations, which are not uncommon, and, indeed, he'
come annually more frequent, through the neglect of the,
Government, in not- checking the accumulating growth s'
weeds and mud, which diminish the depth of the lake/9
and consequently increase their surface. These circum-
stances have suggested an expedient by which certain vege•
tables are cultivated in safety, and so that they derive 11"
much moisture as may be beneficial to them without being
exposed to the risk of being destroyed. This is effected
through the medium of a floating support, of which the
buoyancy and flexibility prevent the plants sinking into
the mass, or being partially covered with it. Variout
aquatic plants spring from the bottom of the lakes, e°
confervce, sedges, reeds, &c. ; and as the
bo its which traverse these waters take generally the
shortest lines they can pursue to the place of their dean'
nation, the lakes are in some parts cut, as it were, into
avenues, separated by beds of sedges and reeds. in thee,
places, then, the farmer establishes his cucumber sa
melon floats, by cutting off the roots of the aquatic plant'
just mentioned, about two feet under the water, so thr
-.hey completely lose all connection with the bottom of the
lake, but retain their former situation in respect to eee"
other. When thus detached from the soil, they. ~ere
pressed into somewhat closer contact, and formed into be'
of about two yards breadth, and of an indefinite length'
The heads of the sedges, reeds, and other plants of the float
are next cut off, and laid upon its surface, and cove
with a thin coat of mud, which, at first, interrupted in to
descent, gradually sinks into the mass of matted roots. 11:
bed floats, but is kept in its place by a stake of will%
driven through it, at each end, which admits of its riet
and falling, in accommodation to the rise and fall of '",;
water. By means of a long pole, thrust amongst the rel.'',
at the bottom of the lake from the aide of a boat, sr
turned round several times in the same direction, a qour,
tity of confirm and of other plants are torn from off em
bottom and carried in the boat to the platform, where the
weeds are twisted into conical mounds about two feet ?
diameter at their base, and of the same height, terso;
!rating at the top in a hollow, which is filled with frel.o
soft mud, drawn from the bottom of the lake, to whiy
sometimes wood.ashes are added, though more freque°t;/
omitted. The firmer has in preparation a number,
cucumber and melon plants, which have been 11%.
under mats ; and of these, when they have four leaves,
places three plants in the basin of every cone or morj;
of which a double row runs along the edge of every 17-0
at about two feet distance from each other. No furtl:ol
care is necessary, except that of collecting the fruit ; r
the expense of preparing the platforms and cones is 02
fined to the value of the labour, which altogether is fete
fling, as the work is very soon done. Perhaps a re
economical method of raising cucumbers cannot be mt
vised ; and though the narrow beds are ordinarily 10:
in contact by their sides, yet, from their flexible nature'
they are so easily separable that a small boat sussieir
readily pushed betwixt the lines without injuring thg
structure; and for the most part they will bear a me"be
weight, though generally the fruit is picked off from `,
boat. I traversed a tract of about fifty acres of
floating gardens, in cucumber& and melons, and say/ 110
above half a dozen unhealthy plants ; nor have I seen'
the cucumber and melon grounds, in the.vicinity of le
populous cities in Europe or in Asia, so large an exPaabe
of plant in a state equally healthy, though, it must of
observed, running into somewhat too great luxurianee,cd
growth.—Moorcroft MSS., Journal of Geographs
Society.
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