10 HOME FLORICULTURE 



A pot six or seven inches across the top is quite 

 large enough for ordinar\- window plants. A Geranium 

 will bloom better in a pot of this size, when a year 

 old, than it would in a larger one. One containing 

 more soil would be likely to produce a more luxuriant 

 growth of leaf and branch, but would give fewer 

 blossoms. It is a fact that a plant blooms better, as 

 a general thing, when somewhat cramped for root 

 room. But all plants grown for their foliage require 

 a liberal amount of soil, because with them flowers are 

 not what is aimed at, but a vigorous development of 

 branches to furnish leaves. Bearing this in mind, you 

 would give your flowering Geraniums rather small 

 pots, while you would give a Rose Geranium a pot 

 several sizes larger, one being grown solely for its 

 flowers, while the other is only satisfactory when 

 it has a large amount of fine foliage. From this I 

 think you get the idea governing the use of large and 

 small pots. 



After potting a plant give it a thorough water- 

 ing, as has been said, to settle the soil, but do not 

 give more until it shows signs of starting into 

 growth, unless the weather is very warm and evap- 

 oration takes place rapidly. It is always well to set 

 newly potted plants in a shaded place until they 

 become well established in their new pots. It may 

 take two weeks for them to do this. Shower them 

 daily. Moisture on the foliage often seems to do as 

 much good as water at the roots, and it is especially 

 beneficial to a plant when it is suflfering the shock 

 which the most careful potting is likely to give to 

 some varieties which do not take kindly to a change 

 of this sort. 



If vou have good soil for your plants. I would not 

 advise a complete repotting oftener than once a year. 

 Give this just before they make the strong growth 



