THE CARXATIOX MANUAL. S'^ 



frosty and the plants not frozen, I commence 

 to transfer them to their blooming-pots ; l)ut here 

 let me say that I should not do this if I had not 

 frames and houses Avherein to put them, although 

 I am convinced of the good effect that early 

 potting has. 



I use pots of 6, 7, 8, and 9-in. diameter. If the 

 pots are new they are thoroughly soaked to get 

 the dryness out of them : if old, the pots are 

 thoroughly and carefully cleaned. I place about 

 two or three inches of crocks (not too small) at 

 the bottom, and cover them over with dry leaves. 

 I then fill the pots about three parts full with 

 the blooming-compost, putting into each pot, as 

 I proceed, a handful of finely broken charcoal. 

 The plants are gently tapped out of the small pots, 

 and placed on the soil, and the spaces between the 

 plants, and to within half an inch of the rim, filled 

 in with more soil, and the whole thoroughly 

 shaken do^vn and pressed firm. I never place 

 different varieties in the same pot, for there are 

 but few sorts that require the same treatment. 

 I invariably put three plants in a pot, according 

 to size and growth ; for instance, " William 

 Skirving," P. & P. B. — with me a very vigorous 

 grower — three plants in an 8-in. pot ; " J. D. 

 Hextall," C. B., naturally small in growth, three 

 in a 7-in. pot; "Muriel," H. P. Pic, three in a 6 

 or 6i-in. pot; these small but important details 

 G 2 



