PLANT POTTING. 



377 



tune describes it ; but its bright orange 

 rind is not. very fragrant until it is cut or 

 scraped, when it becomes highly agreea- 

 ble. The skin is not much thicker than 



that of a gooseberry, and contains five 

 cells, filled with very acid pulp, resembling 

 that of the Lime. It will no doubt make 

 an excellent preserve." 



ON PLANT POTTING. 



BY WILLIAM SAUNDERS. XEW-HAVEN, CT. 



Preparing the Soil. — Without entering 

 into a detailed inquiry upon the relation 

 that exists between the soil and its differ- 

 ent vegetable productions, or attempting to 

 enumerate the many different combinations 

 of soils that have been recommended for 

 various plants, I at once remark, that for 

 potting purposes, the physical texture of 

 the soil is of more importance than its 

 chemical constitution. I am well aware of 

 the many very widely different opinions that 

 have been held on this point, even among 

 scientific men ; but as " facts are stubborn 

 things," I will confine myself to what I have 

 found in practice to be most suitable. 



The organic part of plants generally 

 amounts to about nine-tenths of their whole 

 bulk ; and as this matter is chiefly pro- 

 duced from, and through the influence of, 

 atmospheric air and water, and these being 

 largely extracted, by their roots as well as 

 by their leaves, it points to the propriety of 

 having the soil in a condition to allow an 

 unimpeded access of these gases to the 

 roots of plants.* 



For some years I have used nothing but 

 turfy loam for the various purposes of pot- 

 ting, suiting it to different plants by the 

 addition of charcoal, pebbles, and sand, — 

 being guided in the proportion of these 

 latter substances by the nature of the roots 



* At paje 27:} of the present volume, a correspondent infers 

 that air [Baseless at tin- roots of plants. How became to make 

 ment so diametrically opposed to the investii.oiti.nis of 

 icientific, and tie- experience of practical men, I am :'i b lost 

 to imagine. Surely not by the analogical reasoning he there 

 fctdnjires in. 



Vol. iv. 27 



and general habit of growth ; and as by 

 the judicious application of manure water, 

 when and where requisite, I obtain, through 

 simpler means, all the advantages that can 

 be derived by the use of the various mix- 

 tures recommended under the name of com- 

 posts. I therefore look upon these, in many 

 cases, minute proportionals of differest soils 

 and manures, as being altogether unneces- 

 sary. 



There is by far too little importance at- 

 tached to the aeration of soils ; by bringing 

 them in contact with air both the mineral 

 and vegetable ingredients are decomposed, 

 their latent powers of action drawn out, 

 and rendered directly available for the pur- 

 poses of vegetation. Hence the advantages 

 of trenching and subsoiling, the freezing 

 and pulverising of soils ; and though it is 

 impossible, in the present state of know- 

 ledge, to trace all the operations of the va- 

 rious agents that are daily pioducing chan- 

 ges in the animal, vegetable, and mineral 

 systems, we know that in the absence of 

 air and moisture, substances may remain 

 unchanged; but under their combined in- 

 fluence, the most imperishable must ulti- 

 mately succumb. 



In collecting soil for potting, I prefer 

 turves cut from a dry pasture, secured in 

 dry weather, and piled in a heap until 

 wanted for use. If these have been pro- 

 cured from soil of a retentive, adhesive na- 

 ture, it can be corrected by the addition of 



