2 HOMM I-1.()RICLI,TL'RE 



advisable to adapt tlie soil to the nature of the plant 

 grown in it, to some extent, in special instances, 

 but, as a general thing, nearly all plants advisable for 

 house culture will do themselves full justice if given 

 the same kind of soil. The plants that fail to do this, 

 in any really good soil, are the exceptions which 

 prove the rule. But because they Zi'ill do this is no 

 good reason why they should be obliged to do it if we 

 can grow them more satisfactorily by giving them the 

 kind of soil they have an especial liking for. 



Right here the question may come up in the mind 

 of the amateur florist, How am I to know just what 

 kind of soil a plant likes best? To this I would 

 answer, that we cannot know, positively, until we have 

 had some experience with the plant, but an examina- 

 tion of its roots will generally give us a pretty good 

 idea of the character of the soil best adapted to it. 

 If a plant has few roots, and those are large ones, as 

 a "general thing, a rather close, firm soil will suit it 

 better than a light, spongy one. Those having hard. 

 wiry roots, like the Rose, nearly always prefer a soil 

 containing considerable clay — one that will make itself 

 firm and compact about the roots. Plants like Pri inula 

 obconica. and Heliotrope, whose roots are almost hair- 

 like in their fineness, do much the best in a light soil 

 containing a good deal of fibrous matter, or, if that 

 is lacking, a liberal proportion of sand, which will 

 prevent the heavier elements from packing down under 

 the action of water, and becoming uncomfortably 

 compact and impenetrable. 



The best general purpose soil I have ever used was 

 made as follows : One part ordinary garden loam ; one 

 part turfy matter scraped from the lower part of sods, 

 containing all the fine grass roots possible to secure 

 with it ; one part of well-rotted manure and sand, half 

 and half. If leaf mold can be obtained, it can be used 



