176 GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS 
but a condition indicated by a whitening of the sur- 
face, and the rapidity with which it will again soak 
up water, a condition hard to describe exactly, but 
at once recognizable after a little practice. Dur- 
ing the dull winter months, it will be sufficient for 
most plants in the greenhouse to receive water twice 
a week, or even less often, but on the coming of 
warm spring days, more frequently, until care is 
needed daily. There are some old fogy ideas 
about soft and tepid water, which may help confuse 
the beginner: they accomplish nothing more. 
Recent experiments, made by one of the State ex- 
periment stations, have confirmed the experience of 
practical florists, that the temperature of water 
used, even to ice water, has almost absolutely no 
effect —the reason being that the water applied 
changes to the temperature of the soil almost before 
it can reach the roots of the plant at all. And 
hard and soft, spring and cistern water, have like- 
wise been used without difference in results. The 
main thing is to attend to your watering regularly, 
never letting the plants get dried out or baked. 
Not the least important of the “ arts” which the 
worker under glass has to acquire is that of potting. 
From the time the cuttings in the sand bench are 
rooted, until the plants are ready to go outdoors in 
the spring, they have to be potted and repotted. 
The operation is a very simple one when once ac- 
quired. To begin with the cutting: Take a two- 
