116 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A lady asked how to repot a Rubber Plant. Mr. Hatfield said 

 that the example given would be just right ; he would not cut off 

 any roots, but he would like to see the plant first. 



Thomas Harrison asked what the method of preparing bone 

 meal was. 



Mr. Hatfield replied, " Take half a dozen cart-loads of turf and 

 three hundred pounds of bone meal. The value of bone meal is 

 increased by fermentation, which process is accompanied by heat, 

 and often destroys insects and weed seeds." He said he would 

 not use bone meal on Geraniums. 



Mrs. E. M. Gill said she used it, and that her Geraniums did 

 well. 



A stranger asked how much sheep manure Would be used with 

 six cart-loads of turf. Mr. Hatfield considered five to six hun- 

 dred pounds enough. 



George D. Moore said that he used bone meal liberally on Let- 

 tuce, and it prevented " dropping," He used bone meal which 

 was as fine as flour, and gave it to Cucumbers as well as Let- 

 tuce ; in two hills left without it the vines were a foot less in 

 growth in a short time. 



W. D. Hinds asked the difference between bone meal and bone 

 flour. Mr. Moore answered that the bone flour is so fine that it 

 has to be put in double bags. 



A gentleman asked whether old potting soil can be used a 

 second time. 



Mr. Hatfield replied that he saves old potting soil when he 

 thinks it good enough, and uses it for annuals, such as Asters, 

 Zinnias, Stocks, and Verbenas. 



President Appleton inquired if it did not make a difference 

 whether it is thrown over and aerated. 



Mr. Hatfield said that it did. Some soil is too good to throw 

 away, and most any can be renovated by aerating and sweetening, 



A Geranium was potted to illustrate how many roots may be 

 taken off. 



