164 PRACTICAL GARDENING. 



but there are some wMcIl will strike all the way up the stems 

 if they are planted deep, such as geraniums, which woijld root 

 at every joint, and many other subjects which strike freely. 

 But all hard-wooded plants, such as heaths and many of the 

 Cape shrubs, would be seriously damaged, and perhaps 

 speedily killed, were they what is called planted deep. 



With regard to growing geraniums, which are struck from 

 cuttings of aU sizes, and wood of aU ages ; they are frequently 

 propagated from such waste pieces that they perhaps break, 

 or shoot at the top of a long ugly piece of wood, and it is a 

 common practice to pot these as deep as possible, to bring 

 down the growing part of the plant to the surface of the soil, 

 which, when the pot is completed with its plant, should be as 

 much below the top of the pot as the rim of the pot comes 

 down outside. But geraniums, and other freely-rooting plants 

 which strike at every point, are the exceptions ; and even they 

 ought to be cut and struck so that they may be potted like 

 anything else, with the top of the roots just below the surface 

 of the soil 



The next we consider will be the seedling plants. Now, 

 whether these be hardy or otherwise, the potting must be done 

 the same. Fill the pots in the same way like a cone ; spread 

 the roots round the sides, put soil on the top and press it down 

 to the right height, for then you have only to thrust the soil 

 down a little round the sides, and not press the plant any 

 lower ; but the earth must not be rammed hard, for the young 

 roots must be able to penetrate without difficulty. These, like 

 the rooted cuttings, will require to be watered to settle the 

 soil among the roots. We need hardly say, that whether these 

 be greenhouse plants or hardy annuals, whether they are to 

 be raised or grown in a frame, or in the open air, or in either 

 the greenhouses or other houses, the plan of potting must in 

 all cases be the same. 



We now come to larger plants that are to be potted up 

 from the ground — American plants, roses, flowering shrubs of 

 aU kinds, perennials, or other large plants. The first point is, 

 the proper size of the pot. It should be large enough to 

 allow of the root being well imbedded in, and surrounded by 

 the compost it is to grow in. The removal of the plant from 

 the ground must be accomplished without breaking the fibres. 

 The drainage of the pot must be attended to as we have 

 directed ; there must be as much soil put on as the root will 



