218 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN, 



will turn you out almost any shaped pot you fancy. Flat ones like 

 those used by house painters, make a pleasant change, especially for 

 small bulbs. Petroleum casks cut in two, burnt inside, then tarred 

 and painted, are invaluable tubs. I use butter-casks treated in the 

 same way, and have some little Oak tubs in which bullion came from 

 America. These are very strong, and some water-loving plants do 

 much better in wood, since the evaporation in summer is not 

 nearly so rapid as from the earthenware. That is an important thing 

 to remember both as regards sun and wind. If the plants are at all 



Plants in Italian oil-jars, Woodlands, Surrey. 



delicate and brought out of a greenhouse, the pots, when standing out, 

 ought to be either quite sunk into the earth or shaded. This cannot 

 be done in the case of pots placed on a wall or terrace or on a stand, 

 and so they must not be put out in the open till the end of May. 

 Constant care about watering is also essential. Even in wet weather 

 they often want more water if the sun comes out, as the rain wets the 

 leaves, but hardly affects the soil at all. On the Continent, where all 

 kinds of pot cultivation have been longer practised than in England, 

 flower-pots are often glazed outside, which keeps the plants much 

 moister because of less evaporation, and makes less necessity for 



