Gretinhuude <xud Stoce Flu/da. gueenhuuse plams. 



obtained ; otherwise, the softest river or 

 spring water that can be procured. In all 

 cases let it be exposed for some time to the 

 air, and not used, as is sometimes done, 

 out of close tanks, where there is an ac- 

 cumulation of foul gases. There are few 

 hard-wooded plants, when in full growth, 

 that do not like weak liquid manure in a 

 thoroughly clear, transparent state ; but 

 always be careful to err on the riglit side 

 by api^lying it weak enough. It is im- 

 material from what it is made. We have 

 used that from the stable and the cow- 

 shed with equally good results. 



Soil. — In the successful culture of plants 

 in general, but more especially of those 

 that have their roots conlined in the limit- 

 ed space of a pot or box, a great deal de- 

 pends upon the use made of suitable soils. 

 We cannot always copy Nature so closely 

 as to give to every plant a soil exactly 

 similar to what it enjoys where found in- 

 digenous, but in most cases, by a judicious 

 selection, we can come sufficiently near for 

 all practical purposes. With few excep- 

 tions, slow-growing hard-wooded plants 

 with fine roots require peat, or a mixture 

 of peat and loam, for their successful cul- 

 ture. And Ave may here observe that 

 there is a great difference in the quality of 

 the peat found in different parts of the 

 country — a difference very much greater 

 than mere appearance would lead us to 

 suppose. In the northern counties it is 

 mostly of a hard close nature on the one 

 hand, or too soft and spongy on the other, 

 all being deficient in fibre. Light peat will 

 be found where the common brake grows 

 in thick beds, the fine roots of wliich are 

 the fibre required ; the strong rhizomes 

 ought to be carefully picked out preWous 

 to use, as they sometimes produce fungus. 

 Stronger peat for plants that require it 

 should be got where rough benty grass 

 grows thickly. The grass should be pared 

 off as thinly as possible, and about four 

 inches thick of the under sod should Ije 

 used ; this wiU generally be found to be 

 darker coloured and much heavier than 

 the preceding, and is well adapted for 

 most Heaths ; while, for such plants as re- 

 quire a somewhat lighter soil, it can be 

 mixed with the first-named in equal pro- 

 portions. When mixed Avith the proper 

 quantities of sand, according to the re- 

 quirements of the several varieties of 

 plants, these two sorts of peat, after lying 

 m a heap for six months, will be found all 

 that can be desired. 



In respect to loam, that of a yellow 

 or brown colour will be found best ; it 

 should be obtained from good dry pasture 

 land, the older the better, and that which 



produces the best and finest varieties of 

 grass will be the most fibrous. This 

 should not have the sward pared off, but 

 should be got about two or three inches 

 thick, and allowed to lay in a heap for 

 twelve months previous to being used. 



For all plants of value use silver-sand, 

 such as is generally to be met with on 

 commons where peat is found. In most 

 cases it requires washing, to remove all 

 the fine dusty particles, as the sharper it 

 is the better. The objection to pit sand, 

 when it is at all of a brown or red colour, 

 is that it is generally impregnated with 

 iron. Where good silver-sand cannot be 

 had, clean river sand may be used, but it 

 is necessary to be careful to obtain it from 

 a stream where there are no chemical or 

 manufacturing works carried on, other- 

 wise the impurities from these will ren- 

 der it unfit for plants. 



Potting. — For the commonest plant see 

 that the pot is thoroughly clean, otherwise 

 the next time the plant requires potting a 

 considerable quantity of the roots will 

 adhere, and the plant be consequently in- 

 jured. In all coses see that there is a 

 sufficient amount of drainage used. For 

 pots from 18 to 24 inches in diameter, 3 

 inches of crocks will not be too much, 

 smaller pots in proportion ; and to prevent 

 the soil getting down and choking the 

 drainage, carefully place a layer of the 

 largest pieces of the soil used in potting 

 over the crocks. As a rule the hardest- 

 wooded, slowest-growing plants require 

 the most sand in the soil. 



In preparing soil for potting never sift 

 it, except for newly stuck cuttings : sifted 

 soil has always a tendency to become too 

 solid, and plants that are potted in their 

 early stages in soil so prepared are liable 

 to get dry in the centre of the ball. Let 

 the soil be broken carefully with the hand 

 in pieces varying from the size of an acorn 

 to that of a hen's egg, according to the size 

 of the plant to be operated upon, using the 

 finest soil for the smallest plants. 



Never pot with soil that is either too 

 wet, or too dry ; the first will rot the roots 

 with which it comes in contact and will 

 become sour ; the latter will seldom take 

 water properly. One or two days previous 

 to potting any plant see that the ball is 

 properly moistened all through, but al- 

 ways allow sufficient time for the water to 

 drain off, otherwise it will sodden the new 

 soil — the object being to allow the longest 

 possible time between the operation of 

 potting, and the time when the plant re- 

 cpiires water afterwards. Even v/ith the 

 greatest care in removing a plant from one 

 pot to another some roots are certain to get 



