SOILS, MANURES AND FERTILIZERS 17 
and sweetened muck are also good substitutes for 
leaf-mould. Finely screened coal ashes may take 
the place of sand. 
If you live in the city, where it is difficult to ob- 
tain and to handle the several materials mentioned, 
the best way is to get your soil ready mixed at the 
florists, as a bushel will fill numerous pots. If you 
prefer to mix it yourself, or to add any of the in- 
gredients to the soil you may have, most florists can 
supply you with light soil, sand, peat or leaf-mould 
and rotted manure; and sphagnum moss, pots, 
saucers and other things required for your outfit. 
If a large supply is wanted, it would probably be 
cheaper to go to some establishment on the out- 
skirts of the city where things are actually grown, 
than to depend upon the retail florist nearer at hand. 
Potting soil when ready to use should be moist 
enough to be pressed into a ball by the hand, but 
never so moist as not to crumble to pieces again 
readily beneath the finger. 
MANURES 
Manure of some sort is essential to the growing 
of plants in pots or boxes, both because of the plant- 
food it adds to the soil, and because it improves its 
mechanical condition and sponginess or water-hold- 
ing quality. Thoroughly rotted horse manure or 
horse and cow manure mixed is by far the best. 
Cow manure alone, or pig manure, is lumpy and 
