134 VILLA GARDENING paet i 



small pot, assume a spiral or corkscrew form, which they seldom 

 lose, even when planted out under the most favom-able conditions. 

 Therefore, in buying trees or shrubs in pots, it shoidd be seen that 

 the roots are in a fresh, healthy condition. In cases of soft-wooded 

 plants this objection does not apply, or at least only to a limited 

 extent. It is true that an old pot-bound Geranium does not trans- 

 plant so well as a young one, but that is simply the fulfilment of 

 a law of Nature, which applies with equal force to all living things. 

 Plants have such a large amount of recuperative force that even 

 if, in transplanting, less intelligence and care is brought to bear 

 than the case requires, beyond a little time wasted in starting no 

 harm seems to be done if the treatment is right afterwards. But 

 in looking at a person planting flowers it is easy to see if there is 

 any bond of sympathy between the planter and the living things 

 he is operating on. And when plants fail to thrive, the reason 

 should be sought for in the treatment tliey have received, and no 

 mere mechanical worker will be so successfid as the one who has 

 learned to love the tender things he works and cares for. Love 

 is continually seeking for opportunities of doing good to the object 

 of its affection. The mechanic simply puts in the plant and 

 forgets everything else. In the simple operation of making a hole 

 in the ground and planting a Geranium, tliere is more than appears 

 on the surfoce to the casual observer. The hole must be of the 

 proper depth and width, and the right amount of pressiu-e must be 

 used. Some time ago I was looking over a garden fence at a 

 man planting ; he was anxious to get his job over, being, as I ex- 

 pect, paid by the piece. How often, in his hurry, he made the 

 holes too shallow, and then tried by an extra amount of pressure 

 upon the ball to drive it home ; but planting a flower is not like 

 loading a gun, and it generally resents such treatment. The hole 

 should be deep enough and of sufiicient capacity to take in the 

 ball comfortably. Sufiicient pressure to fix the plant firmly in 

 the ground is necessary, but it should not be applied so roughly as 

 to run the risk of breaking up the ball, which would rupture the 

 roots and be a serious check upon progi-ess. 



Staking and Tying Flowers. — This is work which shoidd 

 be done by anticipation, as it were, as a blown-down plant cannot 

 be put back in exactly the same position again. Neither the stake 

 nor the tie adds anything to the beauty of the plant, and should 

 be employed only just so far as they are necessary ; and this refers 

 to all flowers alike. The stake should be placed at the back of the 

 plant, or, if there are many flowering shoots, it will be better in 

 the centre, so that they can be linked up loosely all round. It 

 takes a little more time, perhaps, to tie up a Phlox, or any 



