Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-08-29
How to Water Plants.

people frequently ask. How often
should water my plants?" said chief
gardener Saunders, of;the department OF
agriculture, TO Star reporter the 9th
er day. TO begin with, never apply
water to plant until it requires it, that
is, until it Is dry, and then apply suf-
ficient quantity to soak 1t.
"Novices in plant culture usually
make the mistake OF merely sprinkling
the surface of the soil, perhaps daily,
without any time applying enough wa
ter to saturate the mass. Plants can
not flourish under such conditions: the
surface will appear wet, while the main
body OF the soul is hard and dry. One
drawback TO properly watering plants
from the inconvenience attending the
use OF water in sufficient quantities;
another evil is the dryness of the air.
Both OF these obstacles to success can
be greatly modified by the use OF . ta-
BILE properly fitted for the reception OF
the flower pots or small vessels in which
the plants are kept. This table may be
OF any required size: surface OF by
feet would be suitable for most windows;
it should be made tight and neatly fit
ted. A ledge is made by fastening
strip3 inches wide around the edge:
then fill WITH inches of clean, white
sand, upon which the plants arc placed.
Lining the table with zinc would COM
pletely guard against drip. The table
should be fitted with rollers to facilitate
the operation of watering and cleaning
the plants. With a table of this kind
the plants can be watered freely, and
occasionally sprinkled, without any in
Jury to surrounding objects. The sand
should be constantly wet, so that mois-
ture will be evaporated from it, and
thus overcome in some degree one
OF the chief obstacles to the successful
culture of plants in dwelling room-a
dry atmosphere.
There are few general rules with
regard to watering plants which may
be noted. Watering should be prefer
ably applied during the early part OF
the day. especially so in the winter
season. Plants in pots well supplied
with roots will require more water than
those which are newly potted or have
quantity of soil with few roots.
Plants with narrow or small foliage
will not use so much water as those
with widc spreading leaves Plants in
the shade will not need as much water
as will those in the sun. But in cases
when water is applied it should be done
copiOusly.
I'm the pot culture OF plants, where
the amount of soil is limited, the use
OF liquid manure is OF vast service when
judiciously applied, but much harm
may be occasioned by its indiscriminate
use. Many persons consider 1t necces-
sary to resort TO the use OF guano and
and other solutions on sickly plants,
and are surprised to find that the APP
plicatioa only hastens the dissolution OF
the patient.
1T Is only healthy and we'll rooted
plants that are benefited by manure,
and such as are supplied with hungry t:
roots but growing slowly for want oil
nourishment. Such plants as have
been for years in the same pot or tuba
we frequently find orange and lemon
trees, camelias, oleanders, etc, will be
greatly stimulated by the application Of
manurial liquids during their period OF
growth. For plauts Of all kinds that
have their pots filled with roots II
will BE- serviceable, and to such as
fuchsias, pelargoniums, cinerarieA etc.,
while in flower, they will bloom longer
and in greater perfection. But It should
be kept in mind that stimulants should
not be applied while flower buds are
forming, as it might induce an increased
wood growth at the expense OF the
towering principle. "-Washington Star.