94 WINDOW GARDENING. 



may be added, or intermingled with the lower portion of the soil, with advantage 

 to many of the more robust plants, such as Fusehias and Geraniums. Their roots 

 attach themselves greedily to the bones, which yield a gradual supply of stimulating 

 food for a considerable period, if the fragments are not too small. Pieces of the size 

 of a small nut are the most suitable. There is one point connected with potting to 

 which we would call especial attention — the surface of the soil must never be 

 allowed to form a basin-like cavity round the stem of the plant, but should be 

 slightly raised in the centre and slope gradually to the rim, which, as we have 

 already stated, should be an inch or more higher than the circumference of the soil. 

 It will be evident that it is not the stem of the plant which requires watering, but 

 the roots, by the spongioles or naked points of which the plant obtains its liquid 

 food ; and these are generally found near the porous sides and bottom of the pot, 

 through which they doubtless absorb a portion of their atmospheric nutriment — a 

 circumstance which naturally suggests the inexpediency of employing pots which 

 are painted or glazed. "When the surface of the soil is disposed as we have advised, 

 the water readily finds its way to the roots without wetting the collar of the plant, 

 which often receives serious injury from the constantly humid condition in which it 

 is kept when the water is poured close to the centre of the pot. This naturally 

 leads us to the subject of 



Watering. — Over-watering is, without doubt, the rock on which most window 

 cultivators split. If, however, every pot be well drained, it will bo easy to avoid 

 this difficulty. All plants should be watered at the top of the pot, and no water 

 should be allowed to stand in the pans in which they are placed, except in the case 

 of a few plants, such as the Calla, which being an aquatic plant, during the growing 

 season may have its pan kept full of water ; but this should be occasionally emptied. 

 In the greenhouse, pans are very properly discarded, but in a sitting room, arc a 

 necessary evil. They should be kept quite clean ; and in order that the pot (from 

 the bottom of which the delicate spongioles frequently protrude) may not stand in 

 stagnant moisture, a ring of gutta percha may be placed in the pan, which will 

 allow the superabundant moisture to escape more readily. 



The water used should be soft; this we regard as an indispensable condition to 

 healthy plants. In those localities in which rain water cannot be procured, spring 

 water may be rendered more fit for use by the addition of a drachm of carbonate of 

 ammonia (the sesjw'-carbonate of the shops), or volatile salts, to every gallon of water. 

 The sulphate of ammonia, which is in many places sold at a cheap rate, may be 

 employed instead, in the proportion of a quarter of an ounce to one gallon of water. 

 Whether this solution or plain water be used, it should be of the same temperature 

 as the room in which the plants are placed, and the saline mixture must be made 

 some hours before use. It should be poured gently on the surface, and enough 

 should be given at each watering to wet the whole of the soil thoroughly. 



(To be eontinued.) 



