THE GARDENER'S MONTHL Y 



[January, 



continually bringing before us the "want to 

 know" of some friend about soil, or light, or 

 water, to which we always take pleasure in re- 

 plying. 



The best kind of earth to use is the surface 

 tsoil, containing the spongy mass of surface roots, 

 from a wood ; the first two inches of an old pas- 

 ture field; the turfy spongy mass called peat, 

 from sandy bogs or swamps; a little well de- 

 ca3'ed hot-bed manure ; some sharp sand. These 

 are now about the only "■elements" that the 

 most skillful gardener cares to have beside him ; 

 and many a good gardener has to find himself 

 minus of some of these and be satisfied. 



The soil for potting should be used rather dry ; 

 that is, it should be in such a condition that it 

 will rather crumble when pressed, than adhere 

 closer together. Large pots — those over four 

 inches, should have a drainage. This is made 

 by breaking up broken pots to the size of beans, 

 putting them in the bottom a quarter or half an 

 inch deep, and putting about an eighth of an 

 inch of old moss or an}' similar rough material 

 over the mass of " crocks" to keep out the earth 

 from amongst it. Little benefit arises from 

 draining pots below four inch, the moisture fil- 

 tering through the porous pots quite fast enough; 

 and the few pieces of " drainage" often thrown 

 in with the soil placed right over, is of little or 

 no use. 



Ferneries are now so deservedly popular, that 

 we must have a word to say for them at times, 

 though their management is so simple there is 

 little one can say. It is probably their ease of 

 management, and the great results obtained for 

 the little outlay of care that has rendered them 

 so popular. It should not, however, be forgot- 

 ten that the case in which they are enclosed is 

 not to keep out the air, but to keep in the mois- 

 ture, as ferns will not thrive in the dry atmos- 

 phere of heated rooms. A few minutes airing 

 every day will, therefore, be of great benefit to 

 them. Decayed wood, (not pine), mixed with 

 about half its bulk of fibrous soil of any kind, 

 and a very small proportion (say a tenth of the 

 bulk) of well-rotted stable manure, makes a good 

 compost. Most kinds particularly like well- 

 drained pots. This is usually effected by filling 

 a third of the pots in which the ferns are to 

 grow with old pots broken in pieces of about 

 half an inch square, on which a thin layer of 

 moss is placed, before filling the pots, to keep 

 out the soil from choking the drainage. We 

 would partiularly emphasize the remarks about 



draining, for one great enemy of the window- 

 gardener is over-watering. There are far more 

 plants injured in this way than by being allowedi 

 to become too dry. 



The more freely a plant is growing, the more 

 water will it require ; and the more it grows, the 

 more sun and light will it need. In all cases, 

 those which seem to grow the fastest, should be 

 placed nearest the light. The best aspect for 

 room plants is the south-east. They seem like 

 animals in their affection for the morning sun. 

 The first morning ray is worth a dozen in the 

 evening. Should any of our fair readers find her 

 plants, by some unlucky calculation, frozen in 

 the morning, do not remove them at once to a. 

 warm place, but dip them in cold water, and set 

 them in a dark spot, where they will barely es- 

 cape freezing. Sunlight will only help the frost's 

 destructive powers. 



Window plants suffer much at this season 

 from the high and dry temperature at which it 

 is necessary for human comfort to keep our 

 dwellings. Air can seldom be admitted from the 

 lowness of the external temperature. Saucers 

 of water under the plants do much to remedy 

 the aridity under which room plants suffer. In 

 such cases, however, so much water must not 

 be given to plants as to those without saucers. 

 The water is drawn up into the soil by attrac- 

 tion ; and though the surface will appear dry, 

 they will be wet enough just beneath. 



Where the air is dry, if in rooms or greenhouses,, 

 frequent syringings are of much benefit to plants. 

 Besides, cleanliness keeps down insects and 

 checks diseases in plants as in animals. Most 

 old fashioned lady gardeners (and may we ever 

 bless them for the many lessons they have taught 

 us!) take every opportunity to set their window- 

 plants out of doors whenever a warm shower hap- 

 pens to occur. In winter a rain at a temperature 

 of 40° or 45°, which often occurs, might be called 

 a " warm shower." Cold water does not have 

 half the injurious effects on plants that cold air 

 has. When plants get accidentally frozen,, 

 dip them at once in cold water and set them in 

 the shade to thaw, as already stated. 



It is better to keep in heat in cold weather by 

 covering, where possible, than to allow it to es-- 

 cape, calculating to make it good by fire-heat, 

 which is, at best, but a necessary evil. Where 

 bloom is in demand, nothing less than 55° will 

 accomplish the object; though much above that 

 is not desirable, except for tropical hot-house 

 plants. Where these plants are obliged to be- 



