THE POTTING OF PLANTS. 63 



A point indispensable in our hot and arid climate is, 

 that all plants in the greenhouse should stand on close 

 benches, overlaid with sand or ashes, or some such ma- 

 terial. This keeps moist and prevents the plants from 

 suffering, if any omission occur in watering. We know 

 that the practice in many places is entirely different from 

 this, the plants being stood on benches of open slat- 

 work. No plant can be kept healthy in such a place, 

 unless with at least double the labor of watering neces- 

 sary with those standing on sand. This, like many other 

 of our mistakes, is copied from the mode pursued in 

 England, where a colder, moister, and less sunny cli- 

 mate may make it a necessary practice. 



For this reason, also, we prefer to use benches, or tables, 

 instead of the stair-like greenhouse stage, which is now 

 almost discarded. However, an exception to this rule is 

 necessary in growing Eoses or other plants in large pots 

 or tubs for winter flowering, where complete drainage is 

 necessary. They should, in all such cases, stand on slat- 

 ted benches ; if placed on sand or ashes, it would stop 

 the free passage of water from the holes in the bottoms 

 of the pots or tubs. If placed on such benches, the pots 

 or tubs should be raised an inch or so on pieces of wood 

 to admit of free drainage. 



CHAPTER XI. 

 THE POTTING OF PLANTS. 



The first operation of potting is, when the rooted cutting 

 is transferred from the cutting-bed to the pot. Almost 

 without exception, plants of every variety, at this stage, 

 should be placed in a two-inch pot; occasionally some of 

 the coarser-growing Geraniums may require the three- 

 inch size, from the fact that the roots are too large 



