The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-08-10
WATERING PLANTS.

rev pea 0bitn ttdtihc tifaA tttD w"tNA
ing of a plant is task which requires
both experience and ability TO perform
properly There is an the difference
in the world between the yigor Of a
plant which lis watered properly and
one which III watered improperly.
Watering of plants Il not like the
feeding of animals in whitii Regularity
ls 0f prime Importance Roots DO not
take lid water at intervals, but con.
stantly. and vet watering is something
more than seeing that the soil around
the plant ~ kept az a uniform degree
Of moistness Tile principles which
underly the art of watering plants are
the principles of plant growth.
Tile great mistake usually made is
to water roo often and too little al q
time The ground around plant
should be allowed to get dry, not
baked and crustad, but thoroughly dry
ON the surface, before water Is ap.
piled Then the watering should be
thorough The ground should be
soaked Few persons realize how
much water it takes to thoroughly
soak soil None OF those who outline
irrigation reservoirs for their gardens
make these reservoirs large enough
unless they secure expert advice
have known people VINO were foolish
enough to think they coud pump
enough water to supply half an acre
OF garden during a dry season. In
watering either gardens. lawns or
potted plants do not water SO often
but water thoroughly Set yonr ro.
tary lawn sprinkler in one Rlace and
let II run all night 0f not against
the rules Of your water company and
even longer II necessary IN order TO
enable the water to penetrate several
inches into the soil Then regardless
OF how dry the weather is, let it 80
for al least week Ten days is
none too long even iii the hottest
weather II the grass shows eyi.
deuce Of suffering before this time
has elapsed you may be sure that the
watering was not sufficiently heavy
Lawns which are Watered in Tins man.
uer viii withstand the drought OF the
severest summer and be green anG
attractive, whereas a lawn which Is
sprinKed a little here and there, NOV
ing the sprinkler every hall hour OR
hour, VIII dry up in spite Of constant
attention
There rs DO better method of water.
Inc potted plants than 20 set the pots
fn "a vessel of water which is sutil.
ciantly large 10 cover the pot conf
pl&tely i.et II remains here until x
is wet clear through in watering pot
ted plants by pouring water on thc
top of the ground water viii come out
at the drainage hole below long he.
fore the centre OF the BAN 0l earth is
even moistened.
Furrow or Rill irrigation. In water.
ing plants ia the garden or field all
ways strive 10 get as much water into
the ground and at the same time wet
the surface Of the ground as little as
possible The usual method of doin-
! this Is 10 run q furrow close % a row
of plants and then allow thin stream
OF water TO rickle down this fuTow
This stream must run slowly. hence
he slope must not be steep This
! is the reason that In many irrigated
sections the flelds are graded 60 a
uniform slope before any cultural
operations are started Water tricki
Ing down such a furrOw viii soak out
into The ground 30 ore side Tor from
one to two feet, depending on the
length or time the water Us running
without Wetdng the top OF the soil
I except 'n the bottom of The iuT0w
Many object TO the use OF this method
I because Of labor involved but in very
hot weather 30 the only safe plan
TO use with tender vegetation in opeu
ground
The diffIcmt thing watering plants
and the phase which approaches near
est lo being one az the fine arts. is
TO lel when 10 water While mos'
reope wster too often it is OF course
quite possible not 20 water often
enough. and while the injury from tol
frequent waterings is marked that Of
allowing plants 10 get too dry is even
worse. The man who can tell by
I looking at the tor ot plant that the
roots are in need water. has that
natural sympathy wItb plants which
makes a gardener like the fisher
man with ewes iu the back 90 hi.
head. he is born f0r the business
As o. Booth. Department OF lfOrtieui
ure. A. a. M. college. saltwater Ok
iahoma