BRIEF REMARKS. 317 



giving moisture below among the roots witiioiit calling the surface, and 

 aerating the roots and subsoil. The effect lias been marvellous upon 

 the Amherstia." It has bloomed most pi-ofusely. 



On PiANT Potting. — The organic part of plants generally amounts 

 to about nine-tenths of their whole buliv ; and as this matter is cliiefly 

 produced from, and through the influence of, atmospheric air and 

 water, and tiiese being largely extracted by their roots as well as by 

 tlieir leaves, it points to the propriety of having the soil in a condition 

 to allow an unimpeded access of tliese gases to the roots of plants. 

 For some years I have used nothing but turfy loam for tiie various 

 purposes of potting, suiting it to different plants by tlie addition of 

 charcoal, pebbles, and sand, — being guided in the proportion of these 

 latter substances by the nature of the roots and general habit of 

 growth ; and as by the judicious application of manure-water, when 

 and where requisite, I obtain, through simple means, all the advan- 

 tages that can be derived by the use of tlie various mixtures recom- 

 mended under the name of composts, I therefore look upon these, in 

 many cases, minute proportionals of different soils and manures, as 

 being altogether unnecessary. There is by far too little importance 

 attaclied to the aeration of soils ; by bringing tiiem in contact with air 

 both the mineral and vegetable ingredients are decomposed, their 

 latent powers of action drawn out, and rendered directly available for 

 the purposes of vegetation. Hence the .idvantages of trenciiing and 

 subsoiling, the freezing and pulverizing of soils; and though it is 

 impossible, in the present state of knowledge, to trace all the opera- 

 tions of the various agents that are daily producing changes in the 

 animal, vegetable, and mineral systems, we know that in the absence 

 of air and moisture, substances may remain ujichanged ; but under 

 their combined influence, the most imperishable must ultimately suc- 

 cumb. In collecting soil for potting, I prefer turves cut from a dry 

 pasture, secured in dry weather, and piled in a heap until wanted for 

 use. If these have been procured from soil of a retentive, adhesive 

 nature, it can be corrected by the addition of sand, ciiarcoal, &c. 

 Charcoal is both a chemical and a meciianical agent. Its value as a 

 manure is derived from its property of absorbing moisture and various 

 gases— particularly ammonia. A celebrated chemist says : " Charcoal 

 is capable of being used with advantage in abstracting the ammoniacal 

 and otiier salts, wiiicii gives its value to the liquid of farm-yards. 

 Experiment lias shown tliat when filtered througli a bed of charcoal 

 the liquid escapes without colour, and almost without taste, wliile the 

 charcoal is itself converted into fertilizing manure." Such is tiie 

 theory of its action ; and its practical efficacy has been sufficiently 

 proved to rank it as a valuable ingredient in soils. The heap should 

 be frequently turned over, to expose every part of it to the influence of 

 tiie weather, and preserve it in a healthy state ; and tiiat it may be of 

 easy access during winter, it should be kept under cover, and always 

 used in as rough a state as tiie size of tlie pols will conveniently allow. 

 In the first place, the pots sliould be tiiorougidy clean and dry ; and as 

 complete and efficient drainage is indispensable, tlie material used for 

 this purpose should be in quantity corresponding to the size of the pot. 



