WINDOW GARDENING. 3J 



be rich loam, sand, and thoroughly decayed cow manure. This should be mixed 

 in the proportion of one half of the loam to one quarter each of the sand and ma- 

 nure. Leaf mould is also another grand material which every plant loves to grow 

 in, and it will pay to secure a good quantity of it. The older and more decorn 

 posed the manure and leaf mould, the better they are, and every plant grower 

 should keep a well prepared compost heap for his plants. A good compost, 

 when all the material is handy, is composed of one fourth of the above elements 

 of leaf mould, sand, loam and manure. To those who live in cities and can not 

 get this conveniently, it is best either to buy your plants already potted, or go 

 to a good florist and buy a good quantity of right compost; he can usually supply 

 it at cheaper rate than it can be purchased anywhere else. 



Keep this heap well filled, and no one must fail to bear in mind that the soil of 

 every one of his pots needs changing and replenishing, or else it becomes ex- 

 hausted, and the plants dwindle and languish for needed food. 



Garden loam is often used by those in the country and found to answer^ 

 but if it should contain any clay, a little sand must be added. The sand itself 

 is oi no fertilizing effect, but is valuable in assisting the aeration of the soil 

 and helping the drainage. Well rotten turf is another handy and valuable mate 

 rial, containing considerable quantity of vegetable mould. If used, put the 

 coarser pieces at the bottom along with some pebbles or broken pieces of crockery, 

 then fill in the finer mould to about half an inch from the surface. The soil must 

 not be allowed to cake up, but be occasionally stirred up deep, so that air may 

 have access to the roots. 



Leaf mould is more highly prized by gardeners than anything else that can 

 be procured. Every autumn the leaves are gathered in heaps, wheeled by the 

 barrow load to a good location, and there left exposed to the rain and the action 

 of the weather for sometimes two or three years. Here it decomposes and 

 becomes rotten. Then it is mixed with good turf mould, also left to rot for a 

 year or two, and finally chopped up; then add the sand, decomposed manure and 

 some peat well minced to small pieces. This is considered the very best mate- 

 rial for pots, or borders in green-houses or conservatories. A good pile of it is 

 always maintained. It is rather an advantage than otherwise to have a few 

 lumps in each pot ; they prevent the soil from becoming too solid. 



A compost for Camellias, Roses, Geraniums, cc., should be one part river 

 sand, one part leaf mould, two parts turf or garden mould. For Cacti, use 

 two parts coarse sand, three parts leaf and turf mould, one part peat, and a lit- 

 tle broken plaster. 



For Azaleas, Ericas, and most New Holland plants, take four parts peat, 

 two parts sand, one part garden or turf mould, one part leaf mould. 



Soil for bulbous roots should be light ; place them in the centre of the pots, 

 about half imbedded in the light earth, then cover them with leaf or fine turf 

 mould. 



For drainage purposes, put in the bottom of each pot either a layer of pow- 

 dered charcoal, or small broken pieces of brick or old mortar t3 the depth of at 



