44: PRACTICAL FLOEICULTT7EE. 



utterly useless practice in tliis case. Throwing a handful 

 of potsherds into the bottom of a pot will certainly not 

 injure the growth of a plant, neither would a gold dollar, 

 but neither would do any good ; the dollar would have 

 bought something, and so would the labor thrown away 

 in this useless operation. 



An old farmer, in planting a peach orchard, in one of 

 the inland counties of this State, was informed by some 

 obliging neighbor that it would greatly improve their 

 growth if he would place a shovelfull of small stones 

 under each tree ; as chance would have it, the soil and 

 climate being suitable, the orchard was a success, and to 

 this day no man is supposed to know any thing about 

 planting peach trees in that neighborhood unless he knows 

 sufficient to place a few stones under the roots ! Most of! 

 our gardeners would laugh at these credulous farmers, but 

 to my notion, it is not one whit more absurd to place a 

 shovelfull of stones under a peach tree than it is to throw 

 a handfull of potsherds into the bottom of a flower-pot 

 before potting the plant. 



The amateur, in potting his plants, will find it neces- 

 sary to place something over the hole in the bottom of 

 the pot, not for the purpose of drainage, but to prevent 

 the soil from shaking out. The hole may be covered 

 with a bit of broken pot, an oyster shell, chip, or what- 

 ever is at hand. 



My apology for dwelling so long on this matter, is its 

 importance. The young beginner in the trade is not 

 likely to take my advice in such matters any more than 

 that of other authorities who counsel the opposite course, 

 and for that reason I have used what arguments I could 

 to overcome the impression that there is a necessity 

 for the practice of using drainage. 



