HOUS PLANTS. 13 



plants for either insects or dust I would advise you to use a 

 little fir tree oil in the water, as this will put a glossy appear- 

 ance on your plants, and also prevent insects from coming- 

 on the same. 



How TO TRANSPLANT. 



The first and most important thing- is to have g-ood soil 

 to transplant in. The following- is a g^ood mixture : . One- 

 half old sod, one-quarter leaf mould, and the other -quarter 

 made up of well decayed manure and sand. This mixture 

 will do for almost any kind of plants, and if your plants do 

 not thrive in this soil you will know that the fault is not due 

 to the soil. Of course there are some very fine rooted plants 

 which would do better if a g-ood portion of peat be added to 

 this soil, but it is not absolutely necessary, (such as Azaleas, 

 Ferns), etc. Potting- soil should never be used too wet or too 

 dry. By taking- the soil in the hand and squeezing- it you 

 can tell whether it is too wet or not. If it is not too wet it 

 will crumble and fall, but if it is too wet it will stick tog-ether 

 like a ball of clay. If the soil is dust dry sprinkle it an hour 

 before using-. 



The next important thing- is the way in which to repot a 

 plant. I have had plants sent to me that have been potted 

 in the most ridiculous manner. Sometimes they have been 

 taken from the old pots and placed into a new one and the 

 new soil placed loosely around it. The people seem to be 

 afraid of hurting- the plant by making- the new soil firm in 

 the new pot. As the new earth being- so loose would hold 

 three times the amount of water that it would if made firm, 

 and this over supply of water would turn the soil sour before 

 the plant is rooted sufficiently to absorb the same, you 

 would then wonder what had caused it to die. When you 

 pot plants make the soil firm in every case. If you are pot- 

 ting- small plants make the soil as firm as possible with the 

 fingers, but if you are potting- a plant into a larg-er pot it 

 would be better for to use a flat piece of wood that will g-o 

 between the old earth and the new pot, and thus be able to 

 make the soil firm from the bottom to the top. Be sure and 



