CHAP. III. POT-CULTURE. 63 



away the dry soil in which they have been preserved, and to supply 

 them with fresh, till they can be watered freely." * 



Notwithstanding the unquestionable accuracy of the above 

 remarks, it so happens that in India there are especial seasons 

 suitable for removing most kinds of plants. As a general rule 

 for guidance it may be observed, that plants that are natives of a 

 cold climate, and that are in the full vigour of their growth during 

 the Cold season in this country, should be re-potted at the 

 commencement of the Cold season some time in November ; 

 and that plants that are natives of India or of a similar hot 

 climate are best re-potted either in February, at the commence- 

 ment of the Hot season, or about the end of June, at the 

 commencement of the Kains. 



The necessity of re-potting a plant, if the pot that it is in be 

 not unmanageably large, may be easily determined by turning 

 the ball of earth entire out of the pot, and examining the roots. 

 This is done by passing the base of the stem through the middle 

 fingers of the right hand, and then turning the pot upside down, 

 and knocking the rim of it gently upon the top of a wall, or 

 upon the edge of a table, till it can be lifted clean off by the 

 left hand. " It is a standing principle," says Sir J. Paxton, 

 " with experienced culturists, that no specimen should be 

 allowed a larger pot till the one in which it is growing is filled 

 with fibrous roots ; and that subsequent shifting be trifling and 

 oft-repeated, in preference to only one or two abrupt transitions 

 annually. This is one of the prime secrets in the right manage- 

 ment of flowers the sine qua non to distinguished or even 

 common success in cultivation." t 



" If the soil," he further says, " be closely compressed into a 

 hard mass, it must be shaken from the roots. For this put the 

 base of the ball on the ground, and strike gently all round with 

 the hand. All plants that are thus freed from earth, ought not 

 to be planted in larger pots." 



OPERATION OP POTTING. 



When plants are merely to be removed from one pot into 

 another, if the operation be at all carefully performed, they will 

 suffer scarcely the slightest check in consequence. But if 



* ' Magazine of Botany,' vol. viii. p. 47. t Ibid. vol. vii. p. 35. 



