214 Notes on Greenhouse Plants, ^c. 



unless they are thickly matted and interwoven ; in this case 

 they should be gently combed out, and the old drainage 

 removed, to admit of spreading out the roots in the fresh 

 soil. The collar of the plant, or that point from whence the 

 roots and stem proceed in opposite directions, should be re- 

 tained on a level with the soil. Although some soft stemmed 

 plants, as balsams, achimenes, &c., will throw out roots from 

 the stem when covered, it is questionable whether they are 

 of any advantage, and they certainly grow faster when the 

 roots are kept near the surface. Deciduous plants and those 

 that are renewed annually by pruning the old wood close 

 down, as roses, fuchsias, geraniums, clerodendrons, and others, 

 requii'e repotting shortly after new shoots are formed. The 

 old ball of earth should then be completely broken up, and 

 the strongest roots pruned close back, to admit of fresh soil 

 "without enlarging the size of the pot. By this practice we 

 are enabled to give the plant a fresh soil yearly, without 

 having recourse to use pots disproportionally large, as com- 

 pared with the size of the plant. 



A young plant, to be maintained in a healthy growing 

 state, should be shifted before the roots become so numerous 

 as to spread round the sides of the pot, and carefully removed, 

 that it experience no check from the operation. It may be 

 well to remark here that flowers are produced most profusely 

 when the pots are full of roots ; consequently it is not desira- 

 ble to add fresh soil to plants when forming flower buds, as 

 it would induce an extended growth, and reduce the quantity 

 and quality of flowers. There are two distinct processes 

 that seasonally follow each other in a healthy plant, viz., — 

 the growth of the plant itself as an individual of its race, 

 and the elaboration of the flower and parts of fructification 

 which are to perpetuate its kind. Knowing this, and attend- 

 ing to the different circimistances which stimulate these two 

 kinds of vegetable action, we are enabled so to direct the 

 plant as to make it run to individual growth, or more to 

 flower, according as we desire the one or the other. This 

 may be demonstrated by taking a healthy plant of geranium 

 and pot it in early spring ; in a few weeks the roots will 



