The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-12-03
FARMERS COLUMN.
RAIN AND VrOISI UR E.

Water is necessary to all animal and
vegetable life. M seed starts without and
no Iylant grows without moisture. The
period Of vitality of seeds is yet wide field
for scientific experiment, but certainly
moisture has much to do with the vitality
a. we'll as growth Of seeds.
Moisture 10 applied 10 plants in these
ways-rain, dew, evaporation from the
soil, and irrigation. It is conceded that fire.
quent light rains are the most promotive OF
plant growth.
Dew is but restricted rainfall. The mois-
turs ascending from the soil raised by tie
sunbeams, is precipitated at night, when
the air is free from solar beat, and precipi-
tnted upon plants Dews arc heavier in the
valleys than on the hills, because there is
more moisture below. As moisture or evar-
Grating water absorbs heat aud produces
cold, So for the sume cause irosts are more
common and more severe in the low lands
than on the mountain tops. For this res
son peaches aud other early blooming trees
and shrubs should be placed upon high
grounds.
Evaporation from the soil is the main
support of plants. The roots Of plants must
not ouly have water, hut air also; ever GOV
er.d with water they perish hence the
necessity of deep ploughing and drainage
Again, loose, pulverized soil, by capillary
attraction, holds more water than hard
solid soil neither do the roots of plants
well enter into hard ground Hence deep
ploughing and frequent stirring of the soil
are the best for plants.
am now eating early Mexican sweet corn
that has hardly had rain upon it since it
was planted. The ground was finely plough.
ed, and during all the drouth it was cult
waited with the hoe, without regard to weeds.
Watermelon vines, grass, and all other vege
tation, are all dead around, but corn is
green as ever. Dew not only decends from
the near air, but is formed by contact with
the cooling sill ; as the moisture ascends
from below, il reaches the cold surface, and
is condensed on and within the finely pul
verized soil. This is all proven by placing
boards over early beans; the radiation
OF tho heat il prevented being returned
by the board, and frost is prevented
when outside of the board the beans are
bitten.
Irrigation, to be profitable, must be con-
tinued during all dry seasons. When flower
vases are watertd daily, they will keep up
the plants, but Il single watering of outside
plants set up an immediate grnwIh Of sue
cu.ent roots and steus; and if the watering
is not continued, the plants perish at ouce
Nature, by the slow process Of subterranear
evaporation, continually and gradually de-
cressing, carries the plant in n halt dor
mant state through the drouth. ST. it is het
ter not to water at all than IN water freely
aud then suddenly cease.
Pot plants should be we'll drained b,
holes in the tub at the bottom; over these
pieces Of broken rrockery or stones shoulC
be placed To prevent the outflow of soil, bu
aid the escape of water. 1t is better to wat
er pot plants at eve, when the heat is most
~ Sohe TINS prevents scaIuihS oy the sun
rays, and gives them night Of cooling
growth. A little sand or fue gravel mix
ed with the pot soil also aids ventilation
and the escape Of surplus water. 0ccasona
sprinkling of the leaves with a pot.rost
greatly refreshes the leaves by clearing of
the dust and aiding the functions of tn,
leaves. If the water stands awhile aud as
simiates its temperature to that of tb,
plants, so much the better,as sudden chang
of temperature in plants, as in animals, en-
danger the vital Iurctions.-Southern Plant
kr and Fdrlner