REPLANTING OR POTTING PLANTS. 79 



larger sized ones. When the flower buds show themselves, 

 it will be easy to detect those that will be single, which 

 should be rejected. Hyacinths, Polyanthus Narcissus, 

 and many other bulbous-rooted plants, flourish in the 

 parlor. 



I have named more kinds of plants than are commonly 

 cultivated in parlors, but the directions given in this 

 chapter apply equally to small conservatories, connected 

 with the sitting-room, where professed gardeners are not 

 employed. For such appendages a greater variety of 

 plants will be required than for the parlor. 



REPLANTING OR POTTING PLANTS. 



By the middle of August, or the first of September, the 

 plants will require to be re-potted ; this must be done with 

 care and judgment. The following directions are minute 

 and to the point : 



To ascertain if a plant wants fresh potting, turn it care- 

 fully out of the pot, with the earth attached to it, and ex- 

 amine the roots. If they are matted about the sides and 

 bottom of the ball, the plant evidently requires fresh pot- 

 ting. Then carefully reduce the ball of earth, to about 

 a third of its original bulk ; single out the matted roots, 

 and trim away all that are mouldy and decayed. Proba- 

 bly the same pot may tlien be large enough, but, if it re- 

 quires a larger one, it should be about two inches broader 

 for a middle-sized plant; three or four for a large plant. 

 If the roots are not matted, but the pots are filled with 

 fibres, keep the ball entire and carefully plant it in a 



