Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-08-07

The PmLosoPnY OF IlOEING. Stir the
soil, is the text an eminent horticulturlst
of this country once said he should select if
called on to give u sermon on gardening
His theme would have furnished him with
abundance of materials out of which he
might have fashioned discourse of un-
told benefit to mankind
Weeds thereby, which would otherwise
choke up and destroy his plants, are de-
mOlished III the process Oi hoeing or stir
ring the soil Weeds are an improbable
crop therefore good gardener will not
stop to raise them and to rid himself Of them
he must hoe, hoe.
But it is beneficial to the crop independ-
ent Of this the old distich runs
The we hoe,
The more grow"
which is further improved ON in the follow
ing passage, taken from the Gardeners
Text Book, and to which we inyite II care
full perusal at this particular season, espe-
cially by those who are disposed to let the
crops : take their chance. Z. S.
lloeing is of benefit even when there a re
no weeds to destroy and in fact it should
be the object to keep, rather than to get,
them out Of beds. Hoeing makes the ground
sweet, and open to the atmosphere where
by the crops are much sooner brought to
maturity, and in greater perfection.
Strange as it may seem, keeping the sur
face light and porous, will prevent the
parching effects of drought Thus, in a
dry season, IA well-t titled garden suffers less
than field Of grain on the opposite side Of
the fence.
During the day time. the loose soil i'm
bibes heat freely. and transmits it TO the
most distant rootlets securing to them that
warmth 50 essential to vigorous growth
but at the approach Of evening, when the
temperature of the air falls, IL reversed ac-
tion takes place, and the heat is radiated
or thrown off quite as rapidly as it was re-
ceived. If, on a hot day, you fill pitcher
with cold water, in few moments you will
find the outside covered with drops Of moist
ure, and it is common expression that
the pitcher sweats.' Instead however, O
the drops having been drawn through tb,
pores Of the vessel like perspratiOn through
the skin, they are drops of yapor condcnseC
from the surrounding air upon the cold pit
cher. So with the soil at evening as soor
as by the radiation of heat it becomes colder
than the atmosphere, that moisture whicl
we call dew is condensed, and Transmitted
" the roots. The extent Of this beautiful
operation is just in proportion to the loose
ness of the surface. Thus Cobbett says
A man will raise more moisture, with I
hoe or spade, in day. than he can pour OF
the earth out Of II watering pot in month.
We shall say nothing upon the chemica
action OF the air upon an open soil whicl
might involve us in some tedious disgust
tion, but, instead thereof relate an cx
| pertinent made by Curwen, an eminen
agriculturist. lie planted cabbages upor
II piece of ground So still and forbidding
that the neighbors considered his labor lost
Not discouraged by their sneers, he took
horse and cultvator, and subjected the Ian
to almost constant stirring throughout tn
season. The end of the matter was, tina
he gathered an immense croP,-some of tn
heads weighing over fifty pound seach.'