SOIL FOR POTTING. 79 



CHAPTER XIII. 



SOIL FOR POTTING. 



With regard to soil for potting this is really the most 

 particular in the whole process of growing chrysanthe- 

 mums, for it is the foundation. I know in many places 

 potting material must be very expensive ; in fact, I find 

 it so myself. Carting soil eight or ten miles is enough 

 to run up the bill ; but even if it spells extra expense it 

 is the cheapest in the end to get the best. 



The soil should be good, heavy, yellow loam, with plenty 

 of fibre in it that cut from a fine old pasture about three 

 inches thick. Cut it during the winter. Do not select land 

 where daisies grow, for they are seldom found on good 

 ground. In stacking the soil choose an elevated position 

 where the water is not likely to lie and sodden it. Flatten it 

 down, and sprinkle a quarter of an inch of soot over this 

 foundation to keep worms away. Then place a layer of the 

 sods, grass side downwards; over that about an inch of 

 nearly fresh horse-droppings ; over that just enough soot to 

 blacken it, and upon all a sprinkling of ground bones. 

 Begin again with the loam, and so on until the stack is 

 complete. It is best to draw in slightly all the way up, 

 or make a haystack-like top, so as to keep the wet from 

 penetrating too much. 



The proportions should be one load of loam, a quarter 

 of a load of short manure, one bushel of soot, and half-a- 

 hundred weight of ground bones, none coarser than shot or 

 very tiny peas. These are all the materials that need be 

 stacked at this time, unless there are wire-worms in the 

 soil ; then <a sprinkle of vaporite may be added about every 

 foot. In stacking it is easy to measure the ground out 

 accurately, for a load or yard of loam is three feet square 

 twenty-seven cubic feet. Begin then as already suggested, 

 a little wider at the base than you intend to finish at the 

 top, and if the ridge shape is maintained at the top no 



