188 CULTIVATION IN POTS. 



neat painted stick. Eoses thus treated will come 

 into bloom in the greenhouse in April, and con- 

 tinue one of its brightest ornaments till the begin- 

 ning of June ; they should then be repotted into 

 larger pots, if large plants are wished for, and 

 again plunged in the open air till the autumn : 

 care must be taken to place the pots on slates, to 

 prevent their roots getting through the bottoms 

 of the pots. If compact and pretty little plants 

 are required, the same pots may be used, merely 

 reducing the roots, so that the pot will hold a small 

 quantity of compost for the plant to feed upon. 

 A most excellent compost for potted roses may be 

 made as follows : Pare some turf from a loamy 

 pasture : the parings must not be more than one 

 inch in thickness ; bake them in an oven about 

 twelve hours, when the temperature is equal to 

 that just after it has been used for baking bread ; 

 they must not be burned : * this, chopped as before 

 directed, with one-third of rotten manure, or 

 leaf-mould, forms one of the verynnest of composts. 

 The plants must be looked to carefully in spring, 

 and whenever infested by the aphis or green 

 fly, tobacco-smoke must be applied. Mildew is 

 easily destroyed by sprinkling sulphur on the 

 foliage, and suffering it to remain undisturbed for 



* I have used, with much success, turf roasted on a sheet of 

 iron (placed on temporary brickwork), under which a moderate 

 fire has been kept : about ane hour's roasting is sufficient. This 

 chars the turfy side, and acts most beneficially. 



