220 ON THE TREATMENT OF GREENHOUSE PLANTS IN ROOMS. 



hesitate to assert, tliat those persons who may thiuk proper to adopt 

 the rules hereafter laid down, will fiud the result to aiiswer every 

 expectation. 



Pots. — The necessity of having pots of various sizes is very ob- 

 vious, the shape however should he uniform, in proportion as fol- 

 lows : viz, five inches deep, (inside measure,) five inches diameter 

 at the top, and three and a half inches diameter at the bottom. 

 Pirns should be provided to coiTespond. 



Draining. — Good draining is essentially requisite. Each pot, 

 according to their different sizes should have from two to four 

 inches deep of coal cinders, broken to the size of a child's common 

 ])]ay marble laid at the bottom, first jjlacing a piece of pot over the 

 hole at the bottom, taking care the piece is not flat, but of thatfonn 

 that it will freely allow superabundant water to ])ass off. 



Soil. — Take the top spit with the turf upon it from a common or 

 old pasture field, not digging deeper than six inches, the soil should 

 be entirely free from clay, and if tlie loam be sandy, it is preferable. 

 To this soil add one fourth of rotten horse dunir. The longer this 

 compost is laid together, the better. Before using it for planting 

 in, it must be well chopped and broken, but not sifted at all through 

 a riddle, as plants flourish far more freely in the soil when left 

 open, tliere being a freer passage for water, heat, air, &c. to the 

 roots. There are but five families of gi'eenhouse plants that refuse 

 to flourish in such a compost as the above. I do not include 

 Camellias and Ericas (Heaths), though I have no doubt but they 

 may be cultivated in rooms with success ; the latter tiibe will be 

 pund the most tenacious of injury in such an habitation. 



Potting. — I consider it but superfluous saying any thing about 

 propagating plants, when tlio cost of a small plant is so uifling, 

 and may be obtained at most nurseries. 



To begin wiih. a plant procured from the nursery. In the first 

 place, examine if the roots aro coming tln-ough the hole at the 

 bottom of the pot ; if so, this points out the necessity of repotting, 

 which must be repeated until tlie plant has attained the size re- 

 quired for blooming. The size of the pot for repotting in should 

 be about two inches more in diameter than the one the plant is 

 taken out of. 



Watering. — River or rain water is the best, and should always 

 be of the same temperature a.s the room in which the plant is 



