Transplanting. 277 



TRANSPLANTING. 



At this autumnal season, a few words upon taking up and potting may not 

 be ill-timed. The Httle plants which we set out in the spring from thumb- 

 pots, and which, during the "bright June days, seemed to stand still, leading 

 us to almost believe they never would grow, took a sudden start in July, 

 waxed strong and vigorous in August, and now, in September, have devel- 

 oped into comparatively gigantic proportions. 



The shortening days and the chill mornings warn us that the season of 

 flowers is fast passing away, and that, if we would save our favorites, we must 

 transplant them. What shall we transplant ? How and when shall we 

 perform the operation ? 



And, first, all tender plants must be transplanted. 



By tender, we mean those which will not stand the winter, distinguished 

 from hardy, which endure the winter without protection, and from half- 

 hardy, which will stand with more or less protection. Such are all pelar- 

 goniums, verbenas, salvias, heliotropes, lantanas, callas, fuchsias, bouvar 

 dias, and, in fact, the whole tribe of bedding-plants so called. All our 

 ornamental foliaged plants, such as coleus in variety, iresine, altenanthera, 

 calocasia, come also into the same class. These plants are, as we well know, 

 of different degrees of hardiness ; the earliest frost blackening the heliotrope, 

 while the verbena not unfrequently survives till the early snows of winter : 

 but all require winter protection in-doors ; and no system of covering has 

 yet made them stand the winter in the open ground, — the greater part 

 perishing from cold, the others damping off. 



If we only wish to preserve the plants through the winter for spring 

 propagation or replanting, any light, airy room which can be kept at all 

 times above freezing, say 40° at least, will be sufficient. 



We have only to take up the plants, repot them, prune in any undue 

 luxuriance, shade for a few days, and, when the plants become established, 

 give plenty of light and air. Under this treatment, the plants will hold 

 their own during the short days, and, after the turn of the 3'ear, begin to 

 grow freely, giving a good stock of cuttings for spring-propagation. 



Thus, in a kitchen-window, verbenas and pelargoniums enough may be 



