124 THE PRINCIPLES OF FLORICULTURE 



be of just the right degree of moisture, not dry enough to 

 be powdery, but should absorb water slowly after the 

 potting is done. On the other hand, it should not 

 be wet enough to bake or to become too compact after 

 the plant is re-potted. It is not advisable to prepare 

 large quantities of soil much before the potting is to 

 be done. 



The soil should be placed on a smooth, clean bench, of 

 the proper height to facilitate easy working, and directly 

 in front of the workman. A flat filled with plants to be 

 re-potted, or a damp paper on which are laid the rooted 

 cuttings, is placed on top, and a little to the back of the 

 pile of soil. Several rows of clean, moist pots are placed 

 at the workman's left, and a flat to receive the potted 

 plants is placed at his right. The workman takes a pot 

 with his right hand and places it on the clean board in 

 front of him. He then takes a cutting with his left hand, 

 and at the same time fills his right hand with soil. He 

 places a little of the soil in the bottom of the pot, then 

 places the rooted cutting in position with his left hand, 

 and fills the soil around it from his right hand. When 

 the pot is filled level full or a little over, the workman 

 grasps the pot in both hands, with the thumbs over 

 the surface of the soil, and then gives the pot a quick 

 rap on the bench, at the same time pressing downward 

 with the thumbs. This firms the soil sufficiently in the 

 pot, and gives space on top for water. The operator 

 then places the potted plant in the waiting flat with 

 his right hand, at the same time reaching for another 

 pot with his left. By this method many plants may be 

 potted in a day. 



When potted plants are grown on a large scale, it is 

 often necessary to pot several thousand in a day. This 



