General Notices. 273 



Treat r.ent of Plants in Pots. — Most persons who patronize horticulture 

 have plants in pots, which, having escaped all the mischances of winter, 

 are now beginning to put on their new foliage, and to prepare for the de- 

 velopment of bloom. Even ihe meanest cottages have often floral pots, 

 which, after being covered with dust in the dreary season, are now exposed 

 on rainy days as the spring advances. The experienced amateur has been 

 training his exotics for months past, whether he has a greenhouse, or is con- 

 tented with a frame and a parlor window, and they are now in good order, 

 and making rapidly their new growth. But there are many devoted lovers 

 of flowers who are not experienced amateurs, and their little stock of plants 

 in pots now engages their attention for the first time. What had we better 

 do with them? is now asked, as Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, &c., are brought 

 out on a sunny day. 1 his question we shall endeavor to answer, so that 

 the least practical hand may not be misled. 



Repotting is demanded by at least two important principles in the econ- 

 omy of vegetation — the dependence of the plant on the state of the lOOt, 

 and the quality of the soil. Turn out one of your last year's Pelargoniums, 

 and you will find the pot so full of roots that you will wonder what has 

 become of the bulk of mould they have displaced. These roots have evi- 

 dently been seeking after more house-room, for they have wandered round 

 and round the pot in curious spiral forms, until at last no place remains 

 for their lively wanderings, and they grow wearied with the search, re- 

 main motionless, and stiffen in their texture. In this state, no healiby 

 growth of the plant can take place, and the first thing to be done is to 

 cut away large portions of the old roots, leaving only those which are 

 youngest, in greater or less quantities, according to the size of the head 

 they are to sustain. When this is carefully done, and the plant has been 

 in its new circumstances for a few days, fresh spongioles or little roots 

 will push forth, and a corresponding healthy growth of the foliage be de- 

 veloped. It must be observed that this treatment will not answer if the 

 plants have made much progress. The autumn is the proper time for 

 root-pruning, and the plants should be cut down in proportion as the roots 

 are cut away. But all deciduous plants, such as Fuchsias, which are 

 just now pushing forth leaves, may be treated thus with advantage. 



Repotting is demanded further by the deterioration of the soil. In the 

 open ground plants are supplied with proper nutriment by the application 

 of manure, and, their roots being unconfined, they can stray where they 

 please in search of food ; but in a pot these conditions are not fulfilled. 

 A little soil only can be given, and however rich it may be in fertilizing 

 qualities, they are soon filtered away by artificial watering. Then, again, 

 soil should be porous and open for a healthy vegetation to be secured ; and 

 therefore, although liquid manure might supply the losses of the soil, it 

 would not serve to keep it light and open. The next thing, therefore, to 

 be done, after the roots are reduced in size, is to repot them into an ap- 

 propriate soil. What that is, depends, of course, upon the nature and nat- 

 ural ci cumstances of the plant; but, for general use, any rich mould which 

 allows water to permeate freely will answer the purpose. If, when you 



