66 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



ever, in potting ferns, mosses, the cactus tribe, and all peat-loving 

 plants in general, which should have one part of nice fibry peat 

 added instead. For quick-growing soft-wooded plants a pinch or 

 two of ground bones may be added with advantage. Any nursery- 

 man will supply you with as much mixed soil for a few pence as 

 would fill a dozen pots, or if you have a gardener friend he will see 

 you put right. When ordering soil for potting from a nurseryman, 

 state the kind of plants you intend potting, and he will give you 

 soil accordingly. When potting peat-loving plants, such as heaths, 

 no turfy loatu is required, but peat earth, leaf-mould, and a liberal 

 supply of silver-sand. The cactus tribe are always benefited by a 

 quantity of small-broken brick being added. 



You should never use common garden soil in potting plants, for 

 it is always too finely pulverized, and greatly deficient in the natural 

 food required by a healthy pot-plant. By being potted in such soil, 

 the ball of the plant by frequent watering becomes a close sodden 

 mass, through which the roots are very unwilling to penetrate ; 

 when this takes place the roots begin to decay, and the plant falls 

 into a state of premature decline. The kind of soil you require is 

 an open fibry compost through whicli the air can penetrate, and the 

 water pass freely away, enabling the roots to extract the essential 

 gases so necessary to the life of the plant. Turfy loam or peat earth, 

 according to the class of plants you intend to pot, should therefore 

 be the principal part of your compost. Turfy loam is the turf cut 

 from good old pasture to the depth of four or five inches, selected as 

 fibry as you can get it, and laid up for six months or so in a heap 

 to rot. Peat earth is the turf cut from a selected part of heathy 

 common, having plenty of fibry matter, with a sprinkling of sharp 

 silver-sand running through it, and laid up also to rot before using. 

 When you prepare your turf for potting, chop it up small with a 

 chopper or spade, but never sift it, for the turfy matter gradually 

 decomposing in the pot affords the most natural food required for 

 the health and well-being of your plants. Leaf-mould is formed 

 from the leaves of autumn gathered together, and stored away in a 

 heap to rot. They require to be turned over in the heap several 

 times during the year to hasten their decay. They are fit for use 

 after having lain one year or more. Before using leaf-mould pass it 

 through a sieve to remove all stones, sticks, and other rubbish 

 gathered with the leaves. Silver-sand is the best sand to use, but 

 when not obtainable, river or pit sand, if pretty sharp, will do very 

 well iustead. You must never use sea-sand because of the salt it 

 contains, which would very likely kill your plants. In making up 

 your compost, carefully keep out all worms and pieces of wood. 

 Pieces of wood and beach mist often cause a white fungus to 

 germinate among the roots, throwing the plant into an unhealthy 

 State. 



The soil being now ready, we will turn our attention to one of 

 the most important things to be considered in potting plants — that 

 is, free drainage ; this is absolutely necessary for their health and 

 well-being. If the drainage is bad, and the crock-hole gets choked 

 up, the surplus water does not run off, but lodges in the ball, which 



