POTTING AND 



be soaked for at least twelve hours in a tub 

 containing enough water to entirely cover 

 them. If this is not done, the porous material 

 of which the pot is made will absorb water 

 from the soil, as a sponge does, and your 

 plant may be robbed before you suspect it 

 of the moisture it needs. Pots that have been 

 used should be scrubbed thoroughly with soap 

 and water to free them from all germs of dis- 

 ease, before they are again made use of. 



The amateur gardener is often at a loss to 

 decide what size of pot to use in repotting old 

 plants. I would not advise pots more than 

 two sizes larger than the old, in any case, and 

 generally one size larger will afford sufficient 

 room for new roots to spread for a year to 

 come. It is a mistake to think that plants in 

 the window require very large pots. Nowa- 

 days we feed our plants largely on foods sup- 

 plied by fertilizers rather than by the use of 

 fresh earth, therefore smaller pots can be 

 used than were formerly supposed to be neces- 

 sary to the proper development of a plant. 



In transplanting seedlings and cuttings 

 care should be taken to disturb the delicate 

 roots as little as possible. Never touch the 

 roots with the fingers if you can avoid it. 



36 



