ROOMS PLANTS IN ROOMS. JflttJ 



admitted, when the weather will allow, and occasionally, in 

 fine days, carry them out of doors, and give them a sprink- 

 ling of water all over. 



2d. Injurious watering does more injury to plants in 

 rooms than many persons imagine ; and it is very often to 

 be observed, that some individuals destroy all with too 

 much, and others kill all with too little of that nourisher of 

 health. To prevent the soil ever having a dry appearance, 

 is an object of great importance in the estimation of many : 

 they, therefore, water to such an excess, that the soil be- 

 comes sodden, and the roots consequently perish. Others, 

 as we have said, run to the opposite extreme, and do not 

 give sufficient to sustain life, and this is a more common 

 practice than that of too much. The best plan is, always 

 to allow the mould in the pot to have the appearance of 

 dryness, but never sufficient to make the plant droop be- 

 fore a supply of water is given, which should then be 

 copious and thoroughly going to the bottom of the pot ; but 

 always empty it out of the saucer or pan in which the pot 

 stands : the water used should always be of about the 

 same temperature as that in which the plants grow ; avoid 

 using it fresh from the pump. 



3d. Being over-potted in unsuitable soil. This is also 

 a crying evil, and large pots invariably given to weak plants, 

 with the view of causing them to grow ; but such practi- 

 tioners are like the unskilful physician who gluts the 

 weakly stomach of his patient, only hastening on what 

 they are trying to prevent. With weak plants the very 

 reverse should be practised, giving small pots to encourage 

 their roots outward : whereas, the earth in a large pot to a 

 small plant, with frequent waterings, soon becomes sour 

 and stagnated, and utterly obnoxious to the roots of even 

 the strongest growing plants. If the directions and table 

 of soils, in this work, are properly followed up, unsuitable 

 soils will rarely occur, especially when each genus is sepa- 

 rately treated. 



In fact, we have yet to be convinced why all plants, with 

 the exception of a few tropical, and those belonging to 

 Ericex and Epacridese, will not grow and bloom well in 

 rooms and windows. With the following monthly instruc- 

 tions, and executing them properly, failure will seldom 

 occur; but where failure should occur, w r e would call par- 



