SOIL FOR POTS 45 



a special soil mixture. The ordinary soil of the garden 

 may, and does, answer perfectly for seeds sown directly into 

 it where the plants are to flower, but it is seldom good 

 enough for use in pots. However, the compost is far from 

 elaborate, and may be easily provided by those who will 

 take a little trouble. The principal ingredient must be 

 sound, fibrous loam, and of this there may be three parts, 

 all the fibre being retained and only the finest dust re- 

 moved ; then there should be one part each of refuse 

 manure and sweet, thoroughly decomposed leaf-mould. 

 If there is the slightest doubt as to the quality of the leaf- 

 soil, omit it entirely and rely upon the manure, since inferior 

 leaf-mould will do far more harm than good, and on more 

 than one occasion it has led to complete failure. Beyond 

 these things it will be necessary to add, roughly, a tenth 

 part of sharp sand to ensure the perfect porosity of the 

 mixture. The ingredients should be mixed thoroughly 

 quite two, and preferably three, weeks before use, and it 

 must then be in a pleasantly moist state, no matter what 

 varieties are being sown. 



It is imperative in pot-sowing to make some distinction 

 between those varieties with white seeds and others having 

 mauve in the colour of their flowers, and the ordinary 

 black or brown-seeded sorts, or the results may prove 

 disastrous. It is well known to all experienced growers 

 that the mauve-coloured varieties invariably have most 



