112 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



out a slough ; he wanted mud and also a place to dump gravel. 

 This slough was found to be a depression in which for untold 

 ages decayed leaves had gathered ; the ground was spongy and 

 too Avet for general farming purposes. Little did we think to 

 find black soil teu or twelve feet deep. It Avas piled up and 

 valued only as swamp mud, but Avhen it sweetened and vegetable 

 life got a chance for possession we found that grass and whatever 

 grew on it thrived luxuriantl}^, showing there was bod}!^ in it. 

 Though black in color it is light in weight and does not pack. I 

 have grown Geraniums, Cinerarias, Chrysanthemums, Calceolarias, 

 Cytisuses, Heaths, and Azaleas in it and all have done well. So it 

 is ; much must be gained by experience, and in no other occupa- 

 tion is one so much subject to his environment. All the functions 

 of gardening go hand in hand ; if we fail in one, we may fail in 

 all. Injudicious watering of plants would lessen the value of the 

 best compost ; a lack of air and the requisite amount of heat and 

 moisture would ruin the best plants. 



To pot our plants properly is only part of the work; still 

 " whatever is worth doing is worth doing well." Potting is like 

 cooking a hare : '' jo\i must first catch your hare ; " that is, see 

 that you have clean pots and, if new. properly deodorized. Let 

 me explain — gardeners know that plants seldom thrive in pots 

 fresh from the kiln ; exposure to the weathering influence of a rain- 

 storm will sweeten them, or, lacking this, a good plan is to fill 

 the new pots with moist earth and let it stay in them for a day 

 or two ; this earth should not be used. Next in importance to 

 sweet, clean pots is good drainage. Crocks of broken pots are 

 the best material to use. In healthy plants the bulk of the roots 

 will be found among the drainage. Coal ashes are excellent for 

 many plants, but they contain lime, and while this is a necessary 

 ingredient in the food of some plants, it is not needed for all, and 

 to some it is decidedly objectionable. 



Plants which do the greater part of their growing during 

 winter time, as Avell as those Avhich remain a long time without 

 repotting, require the greatest care. All j^otting should be done 

 firmly and this for the most part can be done by the hand ; it is 

 seldom necessary to use the potting stick in order to pack the soil 

 more firmly, and then only for large plants and such as have 

 solid balls of earth, as Azaleas, Heaths, and other shrubby green- 

 house plants of sloAv growth. I remember once hearing a story 



