530 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



on sunny, calm, and not excessively cold 

 days. Draw the 'top sash of the window 

 down an inch or two, or, if possible, induce 

 ventilation from an adjoining room. Plants 

 like fresh air but object strongly to being 'n 

 a cold draught. A thick paper window 

 blind, or sheets of newspaper between he 

 window and plants, will protect them on 

 extra cold nights. 



POTTING SOIL. 



Every one who attempts to grow windov/ 

 plants should have a small pile of prepared 

 potting soil made from well rotted sod and 

 thoroughly rotted stable or cow manure. 

 The too common practice of using earth 

 from the garden, or black soil from the bush, 

 is oftentimes the cause of failure and disap- 

 pointment in plant growing. The earth 

 from the garden is too often lacking in fer- 

 tility and, what is of still more importance, 

 is too often deficient in the fibry matter 

 found in partially rotted sod. Good potting 

 soil may be obtained from some tough sod 

 from an old, well fed down, pasture field 

 where the soil is of a loamy nature. This 

 sod, before being used, should be stacked 'n 

 the open, mixed with well rotted stable 

 manure or cow manure and the pile be le^'t 

 to rot. Where this trouble is too great to 

 be undertaken prepared potting soil may be 

 obtained from a florist. 



POTS AND POTTING. 



Use unglazed plain flower pots for grow- 

 ing plants. For potting rooted cuttings or 

 slips use small pots, a two and a half ^r 

 three-inch pot being usually quite larg^ 

 enough for potting rooted slips. When the 

 plants are fairly well rooted repot into a pot 

 two sizes, or two inches larger. A change 

 into a pot two sizes larger is usually suffi- 

 cient. Over-potting, or repotting the plan" 

 into a pot four or five times larger, is a too 

 common mistake with amateur flower grow- 

 ers, often resulting fatally to the plant. 



Use a mixture of one part of fine sharp 

 ■sand, and three parts of the potting soil for 



W. Q. ROOK. 



Much of the success of the Provincial Fruit, Flower and Honey 

 Show was due to the excellent work of the printing and advertising 

 committee, of which Mr. W. G. Rook, of Toronto, was the chair- 

 man. As a vice-president of the Toronto Horticultural Society 

 and a florist, Mr. Rook is in close touch with horticultural maiters. 



rooted cuttings. For re-potting larger 

 plants one part of sand to six or seven parts 

 of potting soil is about the proper propor- 

 tion of most window plants. Even if com- 

 mon garden soil is used for potting soil, the 

 sand will be beneficial. In potting or re- 

 potting plants be sure that the hole in the 

 bottom of the pot is open to allow of free 

 drainage. About half an inch of coarse 

 gravel, or coal cinders, etc., should be placed 

 in the bottom of four or five inch pots to se- 

 cure good drainage. In six or seven-inch 

 pots, an inch in depth of this drainage would 

 not be too much. Very small pots seldom 

 require drainage. 



WATERING, SPRAYING, FERTILIZERS. 



All freshly potted plants should be 

 watered once as soon as potted. Give suffi- 

 cient water to moisten all the soil in the po*". 

 Do not give more water until the soil shows 

 signs of dryness. If the plant wilts a little, 

 do not saturate the soil with water, but re- 

 move the plant to a shaded position for a 

 few days. Too much water often kills 



