188 GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW-GARDEN WORK 



Suggestions for potting plants. 



The pots should be perfectly dry and clean, and well drained. How- 

 ever one-sided a plant may be, it is advantageous to have the main 

 stem as near the center of the pot as possible, and the potted plant is 

 usually in the best position when perfectly erect. Soft- wooded plants 

 of rapid growth, such as coleus, geraniums, fuchsias, and begonias, 

 thrive most satisfactorily when the soil is loose rather than hard about 

 the roots. Ferns should have it moderately firm, and hard-wooded 

 stock, azaleas, ericas, acacias, and the like, should be potted firmly. 

 In repotting plants, more especially those of slow growth, the ball of 

 soil and roots should never be sunk to any great extent below the 

 original level, and it is always preferable to pot a plant twice, or even 

 three times, rather than place it in a pot too large. 



Watering greenhouse and window plants. 



Plants cannot be satisfactorily watered just so many times a day, 

 week, or month. All plants should be watered when necessary 

 when they are dry. This is indicated by a tendency to flag or wilt, or 

 by the hollow sound of the pots when tapped. The latter is the safest 

 sign, as, after a prolonged period of dull weather, many plants wilt on 

 exposure to bright sunshine, although still wet at the roots. But a 

 growing plant should not be allowed to become so dry as to wilt, nor 

 should the soil ever reach a condition as dry as powder. This is a condi- 

 tion, however, which is essential to some plants, more particularly the 

 bulbous and. tuberous kinds, during their resting period. Incessant 

 dribbling should be avoided; water thoroughly, and be done with it 

 until the plants are again dry. Plants under glass should not be 

 sprayed overhead while the sun is shining hot and full upon them. The 

 evening is the best time of the day for watering in summer, and morn- 

 ing in winter. In watering with liquid manure, the material should 

 not come in contact with the foliage. Plants recently potted should 

 not be watered heavily at the roots for a week or ten days ; spray them 

 frequently overhead. 



Liquid manure for greenhouses. 



Most of the artificial fertilizers may be used in the preparation of 

 liquid manure, but a lack of knowledge as to their strength and char- 



