36 AMERICAN HOME GARDEN. 



stones abound in flower compost, or for the purpose of reducing 

 and mixing guano or other powerful manures. 



In the preparation of compost in general, it is much better 

 to mix and reduce the materials with the spade or shovel than 

 with the sieve, which takes out the small lumps that, to most 

 plants, are the very " tit-bits" upon which their roots fasten. 



For the purpose of cleaning flower-seeds, &c., at least two 

 small sieves, of about a foot diameter, will be found useful ; 

 one should be No. 12, and the other No. 16, to which others, 

 coarser or finer, may be added, if desired. 



FLOWER-POTS. 



Flower-pots are designated by their capacity, as half pints 

 (a), pints (6), quarts (c), &c. 



They are sometimes 

 made too deep for their 

 diameter, or too tapering 

 toward the bottom. 



The proportion of their 

 diameter to their depth 

 should be at the top as one to one, and at the bottom as two to 

 three. 



These proportions are nearly represented in Fig, d. 

 They should never be glazed or over-burned, by which plants 

 in them are injured, probably frpm exclusion of air, but should 

 have the ordinary porous texture of sound brick, through which 

 air passes, and evaporation and absorption proceed naturally. 

 The drainage-holes in the bottom should range from a full 

 half- inch diameter in the " quarts" to a full quarter inch in 

 the very smallest size. In rooms or on fancy stands they are 

 placed in saucers (as Fig. c), which catch the drainage, but 

 the water should not be allowed to remain in them. 



STRAW MATS. 



Straw mats (Fig. 14) are convenient and valuable for frame 

 sashes, whether used for winter covering of pit or cold bed, or 

 upon the green-house or spring hot bed. They are easily and 

 quickly made, even by a boy, and may be rather wider and Ion- 



