90 GARUEXING FOR PLEASURE. 



wise be injurious, in consequence of the pot being too 

 large for the plant ; but if the pot into which it is shifted 

 is properly adjusted to the wants of the plant, the put- 

 ting in of crocks for drainage may be dispensed with. 

 The need of a larger pot is shown by the earth becoming 

 so filled with roots that they well cover the outside of the 

 ball ; but shifting into a larger pot should be done while 

 the roots are yet white. If left until the roots get thor- 

 oughly matted, brown, and hard, it is too late, and the 

 future growth will be seriously retarded. If the plant 

 has been allowed to reach this condition, which we call 

 *' pot bound," it is best to lay the ball of roots on one 

 hand and slap it smartly, so as to loosen it. By this treat- 

 ment the new fibers strike out more readily from the 

 hard roots than if left with the ball still compact. After 

 shifting a plant, give it one good watering, so that the 

 soil will be thoroughly soaked to the bottom of the pot ; 

 but after that, keep rather dry until there are indications 

 of new growth. (For manner of potting, see chapter on 

 ** The Potting of Plants.") We are often asked as to the 

 use of guano and other fertilizers on in-door plants. As 

 a general thing we use none in our own practice, prefer- 

 ring to shift the plants into fresh soil at the proper time 

 rather than to do so, and we would advise the same to our 

 friends of less experience, for the use of all such stimu- 

 lants is, under certain conditions of the plants, danger- 

 ous in unpracticed hands. When it is inconvenient to 

 shift winter-flowering plants into larger pots, they will 

 be greatly benefited by stirring up the soil on the surface 

 of the pots to the depth of an inch or so, or down to 

 where the young roots appear, taking care not to disturb 

 these too much. Throw away the old soil, and replace by 

 rich, fresh soil, in which one-twentieth part may be 

 bone dust. This is called *^top dressing." The various 

 kinds of bulbs used for winter flowering are fully detailed 

 under their separate kinds. (See Bulb Forcing.) 



