WIl^BOW GARDENING. 33 



with a lighter soil give it another chance for life, watering it sparingly until tho 

 foliage shows its return to health and strength. 



Never pot a plant that has its ball of earth quite dry, for you cannot give U 

 water afterward. All the water you pour upon it will run down the fresh soil 

 at the sides of the pot, leaving the plant to perish with drought. Sometimes 

 in potting plants, you will find a large brown root coiled up in the pot like a 

 snake. Cut it off close to the main root and put this plant in a pot of smaller 

 size, and very soon fresh and more nourishing roots will take its place. Such 

 roots are often found in pots of Geraniums. This piece of root can be made to 

 grow by cutting it into 3 inch lengths, and planting them in pots of sandy loam, 

 leaving a quarter of an inch of the root uncovered, and keeping them warm and 

 moist. 



In placing plants in pots in the open air, either sink them in the borders or on 

 the grass. Be sure to scatter coal or wood ashes underneath them, to prevent 

 worms from entering the pots and the soil from becoming clogged. 



Fertilizers for Stimulating House Plants. 



All plants will grow much liner if stimulants are given, say at least once a week. 



A very fine liquid fertilizer can be made out of horse and cow manure. Take 

 an old bucket for the purpose, put into it several shovels full of manure, to 

 which add one pint of charcoal dust, this neutralizes its odor, add to it plenty of 

 boiling water, let it cool, and apply to the plant. It should not be given too 

 strong, but about the color of weak tea. The bucket can stay filled up with 

 water for six weeks or two months as it is needed, then throw away its contents 

 and begin again. 



Guano water, a decoction of Peruvian guano, makes a good stimulant. It 

 should be applied once a week to the roots, taking care not to touch the leaves 

 with it. To one gallon of hot water, add one large tablespoonful of guano ; 

 stir until it is dissolved. Hen manure may be substituted and used in about 

 the same quantity. 



When used carefully, either are excellent, and give the plants a bright, 

 vigorous green. 



Ammonia tcater stimulates growth very satisfactorily. Dissolve | ounce of 

 pulverized ammonia in a gallon of water, and it will prove more grateful to the 

 plants even than rain water which also contains ammonia. A teaspoonful of aqua 

 ammonia added to a gallon of warm water will be of same efficacy. Flour of 

 bone, when it can be obtained in the form of powder, easily soluble in water, is 

 still more suitable, for it contains other elements of plant nutrition. Used in 

 moderate quantities, not over a tablespoonful to a gallon of warm water, it will 

 give the plants a healthy impetus; give a sufficient quantity to wet the whole ball 

 of earth and pour off the surplus water that runs into the saucer. A special 

 fertilizer used to advantage by some, is composed as follows : take of sulphate 

 of ammonia four ounces, nitrate of potash two ounces, white sugar one ounce, 

 add one pint of hot water; when dissolved cork tightly and add a teaspoonful 



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