ANNUALS AS POT-PLANTS 



31 



pulled out. If there is plenty of space for the selected 

 plants, all may be allowed to grow; but in some cases it may 

 be advisable a little later to reduce their number to one. 

 It might seem better to do this at once, but with small 

 seedlings there is always a chance of accidents, so it is 

 prudent to wait. When their roots have reached the outside 

 of the soil and have matted round it, they should be trans- 

 ferred to 45-in. pots. As a rule, pots of a larger size are 



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Fig. 13. — When pots in a window are thus protected from the direct rays 

 of the sun, the roots are less liable to be injured. 



not wanted in a room, and if or when the soil again becomes 

 filled with roots, the additional food required should be 

 provided by means of a fertiliser. If, for the sake of con- 

 venience, the plants are kept in the original pots, they should 

 be treated in the same way. 



Annuals nmst be kept as near the light as possible, and 

 should have plenty of air. If they can be grown outside 

 until they reach the flowering stage, they will be much 

 sturdier than in a room. If they are fairly hardy, this is 

 generally easy to manage in spring, summer, and early 

 autumn ; but even in winter they will be benefited by being 



