POTSHERDS. 
233 
PRIMULA. 
atruck against any fixed object, such 
as the side of a potting bench, or 
the handle of a spade stuck in the 
ground. The ball eontaining ‘the 
plant will thus drop out into the left 
hand, and the potsherds that have 
come out with it being taken cif 
with the right hand, the ball thus 
prepared is set in the middle of the 
prepared pot, and the interstices be- 
tween the ball and the sides of the 
new pot are filled in with earth and 
made firm by a potting-stick. The 
pot may then be lifted up with both 
hands and set down two or three 
times with a jar, so as to consolidate 
the whole. ‘The pot is then to be 
supplied with water to such an extent 
as to moisten the whole of the earth 
which it contains ; and it may be | 
set where it is finally to remain with- 
out the necessity of shading. This | 
operation is called shifting. 
Tn potting plants, whether in small | 
or in large pots, it is essentially ne- | 
cessary that the inside of the pot | 
should be perfectly clean and dry. 
If it is not clean, and if particles of | 
earth are adhering to the sides of the 
pot, the fresh soil put in when the 
plant comes to be shifted will so ad- 
here to the matter attached to the 
sides as to prevent the ball from being | 
turned out without breaking, and 
tearing asunder the fibrous roots of 
the plant. When the sides of a 
pot in which a plant is to be planted, 
or a ball shifted, are wet, the new | 
soil becomes sodden or soured, and | 
also adheres so firmly to the sides of 
the pot as not to come out in shift- 
ing without breaking, as in the pre- 
ceding case. The soddening or 
souring in this latter case appears to 
proceed from the choking up of the 
pores of the sides of the pot. 
PorsHerps or Crocks, are pieces of 
flower-pots, tiles, or bricks, broken 
very small, and used for draining pots 
where it is required to retain a cer- 
tain degree of moisture round the 
roots of the plants. Thus potsherds | 
| ground under them. ~ 
should be used for hair-rooted plants, 
such as the Cape and Australian 
shrubs, and also the North American 
Rhododendrons and Azaleas ; as 
they require to have their roots kept 
in an equable state of moisture, 
which would be destructive to the 
Cacti and other similar plants. But 
cinders, when of a large size, are 
very usefal ; in draining pots for very 
delicate succulent-rooted plants, as 
they do not either absorb or retain 
moisture, which crocks always doe. 
When cinders are sifted, the largest 
may be reserved for this purpose, 
and the ashes that fall from them, 
or any coal too small to burn, wiil be 
useful for setting greenhouse plants 
on during summer, as they will pre- 
vent worms from coming out of the 
Unless this 
precaution be take yorms will 
creep through the holes at the bet- 
tom of the pots, and do great injury 
to the plants, by tearing asunder the 
tender fibres of the roots in passing 
| through the mould, and particularly 
in throwing up their casts. 
Porrine-Stick.—An instrument 
made of wood, and resembling a 
paper knife, but thicker and blunter 
at the extremity. Its use is to push 
the earth into the pots when plants 
are shifted or transplanted, and it 
prevents the necessity of using the 
thumb for that purpose, as is gene- 
rally done by gardeners. Potting- 
sticks may be made of different sizes 
according to the size of the pots. 
PrickLty Pear.—See Opu'ntia. 
Primrose.—See Pri’Muna. 
PrimuLa. — Primulécee. — The 
Primrose. This genus includes three 
of the most popular and beautiful 
of florists’ flowers, viz., the Auricula, 
the Polyanthus, and the Primrose. 
Of each of these there are numerous 
varieties, and much has been written 
on their culture and management. 
We shall here endeavour to give a 
‘short outline of the treatment of 
each. 
