278 Transplanting. 



preserved to give a large stock of young plants in spring, or a nice show 

 of flowers. 



If, however, we wish winter-bloom, we must continue the plants in growth, 

 giving them, on removal, as slight a check as possible, and encouraging them 

 to grow by heat, light, and water. 



The process of repotting is very simple. Carefully dig round the plant, 

 and, having provided a pot of suitable size and well drained, take up as 

 large a ball as possible, fill the earth well into the pot, being careful to leave 

 no holes between the ball and the sides ; water freely and shade until the 

 plant recovers. If the plants are very large, or have made a rank growth, 

 it may be well to prune off any undue luxuriance. 



Scarlet and other pelargoniums, lantanas, heliotropes, and such plants, 

 are thus repotted. 



With verbenas, and plants which run upon the ground and root from the 

 joints, a different mode is adopted. It is simply to take off a shoot with 

 a root, and pot it in a larger or smaller pot as the case may be. 



Where it is necessary to preserve all the foliage, as, for instance, with 

 callas and such plants, care must be taken not to allow the leaves to droop, 

 which may be prevented by free waterings. 



The time of transplanting varies somewhat. With many plants, if the 

 object is only to preserve the stock, it may be delayed until the frost has 

 killed the foliage ; the plant is then potted, and cut in to the large branches, 

 or down to the root : it soon sends out shoots, and by spring is in condition 

 to furnish an abundance of cuttings. 



Some plants, however, are so injured by frost, that they never recover : 

 such are callas, and all plants with juicy, tender leaves. Such should be 

 repotted ort the first approach of cold weather, and housed at once. 



If we wish winter-bloom, however, we must not allow the foliage to be 

 killed : the plant must be carefully potted and housed before the approach 

 of frost. 



If very early bloom, say November and December, is wanted, it is better 

 to repot in August, and grow the plant out of doors until frosty weather : 

 if then housed, it continues growing and blooming. 



Perhaps a better method is to pot on from early spring a few good plants, 

 shifting them into larger pots as they grow, and carefully watering them. 



