WINDOW GARDENING. 



Plants grown in peat soil require some attention to prevent extreme dryness. 

 Wh n om an oversight this occurs, the peat will become so repellent of moisture^ 

 that it will be necessary to perforate the soil of the pot with a small s tick; or m 

 some ale, it may be advisable to remove the ball of earth from the pot, and place 

 t 7n water for some minutes, or until the entire mass appears to have imbibed the 

 iTsture I may then, after draining for a short period, be returned to the pot 

 2 other instancls, it sometimes happens that from defective drainage, or too 

 Luent waterings the soil of a pot becomes sour and sodden, and remains in this 

 "reverwhen water is subsequently withheld. As the plant would materially 

 uff rfrom a continuance of these conditions, it should be at once exammed 

 whatever may be the season of the year. It will often be found sufficient to >hift 

 tWan tTa 5 ^/ and perfect!, clean pot of the same size; and when the mischief 

 Z ten caused by insufficient drainage, a larger supply of ^ «^ ^ 

 added the operation being performed as already described at page 93. In art erne 

 cases it wUl however, be better to shake off the old soil from the roots of the plant, 

 and t pit in fresh materials. When this is done in the heigh of the growing 

 season it will be necessary to give the branches of the plant a slight pruning. 



Tnother difficulty with which window cultivators have to contend is the large 

 -i Z t to which some specimens attain, especially the fuschia, and the consequent 

 nconvenTence of pots oJ a size entirely out of character with miniature gardening. 

 If ^g^ticU-nenamnat be pre-r^ 11ierai.no alternative but to alow 

 hem pots of a proportionate size; for should they become pot-bound, death would 

 nec'sa rly nsue It an early period. Something may be done, however by annual 

 It prunLg in spring, at which period, just before the plant commences its growth 

 should be turned out of the pot, and the largest of the roots cutaway; and if 

 hughf desirable, the crown of the plant may be divided, or reduce* in size 

 that the same pot, or one of the like dimensions, may be employed from year to 

 vear and the plant kept within the same limits. 



1 There are a few plants which flower more freely by being kept in small pots 

 but a general rule" it is exceedingly injurious to allow them to become pot-hound 

 afits technically termed, in which state the entire ball -* *equen y^ ound 

 a compact mass of fibres; and when in this condition, even although it should be 

 transferred to a larger pot, it will rarely be of any avail, unless the soi is shaken 

 "y and the greater portion of the fibres removed. There are few plants which 

 dlno't become shabby at a certain age; instead of preserving them from year to 

 year, it ^Tr preferable, therefore, to raise new plants from cuttings: and this 



^a^TwH ^-Although this is sometimes effected by seeds 

 the m s usual method is by cuttings. With a very few exceptions cuttings f 

 most of the plants usually grown in the window, such as Acacias, Cactus, Calceo- 



