WATERING PLANTS IN POTS. 



The instructions I am about to give will be better understood, by making some general 

 divisions of the subject, and I shall therefore treat of watering under the following heads: 



1. Evergreens. — And these must be treated as regards such as are succulent, as Gera- 

 niums, &c. — such as are lif!;neous as Camelias. 



2. Deciduous plants. — As Fuchsias, &c. 



3. Herbaceous plants. — As Calceolarias, &c. 



4. Bulbous rooted plants. 



5. Aquatics. 



There are are a few general principles applicable to all plants, which I shall in the first 

 place notice. 



The great point is, to keep the earth in the pot in such a state of moisture, as will sap- 

 pi}' all the wants of the plant and no more; with this object, the following remarks must 

 be constantly borne in mind. 



Whenever water is given to a pot, it should be in a sufficient quantity to wet the soil 

 equally through. If the earth in which the plant is potted is, in order to suit that par- 

 ticular plant, of a stiff loamy texture, it will require less frequent supplies of water 

 than if it be light sandy loam, or composed principally of leaf-mould or decayed vegetable 

 matter. 



If the quantity of roots in a pot is small, with reference to the size of the pot, much 

 less water is required than when the pot is full of roots; because in the former case, the 

 roots will gather moisture for some time from the surrounding soil; in the latter, all the 

 water that is not taken up by the roots soon after the plant is watered, drains away. 



If a plant, whose roots do not nearly extend to the sides of a pot, be watered more fre- 

 quently than the roots absorb it, the surrounding soil becomes saturated with water, 

 which remains in a wet state, wholl}'' unfit for vegetation; the result of which will be de- 

 cay of the roots of the plant. 



When i)lants have been cutback or pruned, the supply of water to them, should always 

 be considerably lessened; because, the quantity of roots remaining the same, the}' have, 

 until new shoots are made, a much less quantity of branches and leaves to support, and 

 the want of leaves cuts^off the source by which the water is dissipated in the atmosphere 

 after it has supplied the wants of the plant. 



When plants are growing rapidly, that is making their annual supply of shoots for the 

 year, and throwing out and perfecting their flower buds, they require much more water 

 than when in a dormant state. 



AV'ith refeience to my last remark, it must always be remembered, that inasmuch as 

 both indigenous and exotic plants are very variable, in the seasons of the year at which 

 the above occurrence takes place, so the use of the watering pot must be regulated by the 

 judgment of the florist, and not by the season of the year, solely; although, undoubtedly 

 both such plants as are dormant, as well as such as are vigorous in their growth in the 

 summer season, will require a more liberal supply, (having regard to their habit of growth) 

 than the same species would require in the winter under the same circumstances. 



Thus much I wish to inculcate as general principles; and I will now proceed to make 

 some remarks on the treatment under each of the above heads. 



Lst. EvERGnv.Kiis.-^Such as are succulent; suchasare ligneous. — The succulent class of 

 evergreens require a libeial supply of water during their growing state, (particularly such 

 of them as bloom in the hot months of the year,) but a very scanty supply in winter 

 uius for instance, when they aie shooting up for bloom, should be watered on the 

 ce of the soil, at least three or four times a week; then in another month, every morn- 



