310 TUE FLORIST. 



PLANTING OUT V. POT CULTURE. 



The planting-out of such plants as Chrysanthemums, Salvia fulgens, 

 S. gesnerifiora, and a few other soft-wooded plants, during the summer 

 months, to be repotted in the autumn, has frequently been recommended 

 as a means of saving a great amount of labour, and at the same time of 

 obtaining better plants than by the more common practice of pot • 

 culture. That plants grow more luxuriantly when their roots are 

 unrestrained by pots we have abundant proof. Take the Camellia for 

 example. The difference between a pot and border plant, as they are 

 generally met with, will, I think, be familiar to most people. I say, 

 as they are generally met with, for it is well known that the Camellia 

 is cultivated to great perfection as a pot plant ; but I think it will be 

 allowed that the healthy pot specimens of this plant are as rarely to be 

 met with as are unhealthy ones when treated as border plants. Every 

 one conversant with the cultivation of plants knows full well the unre- 

 mitting attention requisite to bring the most common of our pot plants 

 to perfection. With soft-wooded plants this is particularly the case. 

 Take the Chrysanthemum for instance. To insure short-jointed growth, 

 and a compact habit, so essential in first-class culture, the plants must 

 be fully exposed to a great amount of solar light, and room for the air 

 to circulate on every part of each plant. This being the case, a very 

 rapid evaporation takes place, so much so that the pots, when full of 

 roots, will require watering two or three times daily during hot dry 

 weather, for if the plants are allowed to flag all hopes of producing first- 

 rate specimens is at an end. 



Now, in most gardens the requisite attention is not practicable ; 

 consequently, the plants, in most instances, lose the greater part of their 

 foliage long before the time of flowering arrives. Under such circum- 

 stances I consider it infinitely preferable to plant out than to allow the 

 plants to suffer in the manner described. 



Such soft-wooded plants as it is intended to put out should be struck 

 from cuttings early in the spring, and ready for planting as soon as all 

 danger of frost is past. The ground on which they are to be planted 

 should previously be well prepared by deep digging, and, if poor, 

 manured. In planting such plants as the Chrysanthemum, a portion 

 of fresh turfy loam should be placed for each plant ; this will be of the" 

 greatest importance when the time of lifting arrives. Plants treated in 

 this way will require comparatively little attention throughout the 

 summer ; a soaking of water occasionally during hot weather, and the 

 growth regulated by stopping, will be nearly all the attention necessary. 

 About the first week in September is the best time to lift and pot 

 the plants. Previous to doing this they should each be thoroughly 

 soaked with water ; if this is attended to, and the plants carefully potted, 

 and placed in the shade of a north wall, and kept well watered at the 

 root, and the foliage frequently sprinkled for a few days, they will in 

 a short time commence growing without losing any of their foliage. 



The list of names of such plants that have been treated in this manner 

 is at present very limited, but I am confident that it might be practised 



