CHAP. II VILLA GARDENING 151 



specimens the ball should be transferred from the old pot to the 

 new one entire, without any disarrangement beyond removing the 

 old drainage from the bottom. In adjusting the ball in the new 

 position the soil placed over the drainage beneath the ball must 

 be made firm, and there should be space enough left between the 

 top of the ball and the rim of the pot to hold water, otherwise 

 there may be a difficulty in keeping the plants well supplied, and 

 the space thus left should be graduated according to the size of 

 the pot. The collar of the plant should be elevated a little above 

 the surrounding parts to prevent the possibility at any time of soil 

 accumulating round the stem, either by the action of water or 

 other means, as hard-wooded plants are very imimtient of this 

 immersion of stem, death being often caused by it. The ball 

 should be held steadily in the centre of the pot with one hand, 

 whilst the other is used to distribute the soil equally round the 

 chasm to be filled, using the potting stick frequently as the work 

 proceeds to make all fii-m. Firm potting in the case of fine- 

 rooted plants is absolutely necessary. A little sprinkling of silver 

 sand on the top when all is finished may be given. It will sink 

 in with the Avater and be beneficial iu various ways. 



Restoking Unhealthy Plants. — Nothing in this world has 

 more than a limited duration, and plants, like men, must die in 

 the course of Nature ; but there are times of sickness and failing 

 health which need not necessarily lead to death if the right means 

 are employed to bring back the plant to health. If the plant 

 showing signs of fiiiling health be an old one, it will be better to 

 throw it out, for it is well-nigh impossible to restore an old, sickly, 

 hard-wooded plant. But occasionally young plants, or plants with 

 a good deal of useful work in them, will become sickly and lose 

 colour from some temporary local and easily-removed cause, it may 

 be. The first thing is to find out the cause, and the plant doctor, 

 like the physician of bodily ills, will be successful in proportion to 

 his diagnostic skill. Nine -tenths of the ailments plants sufter 

 from arise from injudicious watering. It is true that with careful 

 drainage, so that the water can pass freely away, the opportunities 

 for making mistakes are not so numerous ; still, something or 

 other will occur, as the unexpected frequently happens. A Avorm, 

 perhaps, finds an unguarded opening, into which he craAvls ; other 

 worms may perhaps follow, but the first will require no assistance 

 to upset the circulation of the plant by stopping up the drainage, 

 which causes the soil to become sodden and sour. The moment 

 a plant loses colour, the condition of the roots should be seen 

 to, and, if necessary, the choked drainage replaced with clean 

 material. At the same time, the worm must be dislodged 



