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could easily be realized by the snccession- 

 shift system. By the one-shift system 

 we obtain a vigorous growth; but yet, 

 from being in a pot, luxuriance may be so 

 controlled as not to interfere with the 

 flowering. In fact, with the extra care 

 and trouble involved, we obtain the ad- 

 vantage without the disadvantages of the 

 planting-out system. For the one-shift 

 system, as well as in every other case 

 where a fine specimen is desired, a young 

 plant must be commenced with that has 

 never had its roots matted round the pot. 

 Such a plant will soon overtake one four 

 times its size, but which has several 

 times densely filled its pot with roots. 



The freely-growing plants, and whose 

 existence is short, are the best to com- 

 mence with. Many of them are best 

 managed upon this system. Wherever 

 rapidity and strength of growth are an 

 object, annuals intended to flower in pots, 

 after being once pricked off into small 

 pots or preparatory beds, and thus estab- 

 lished, can scarcely be too soon after- 

 wards transferred to their blooming pots. 

 Where double flowers, as in the Balsam, 

 or swelling-off part of the flower, as the 

 receptacle in the case of the Cockscomb, 

 are wished for, then different methods 

 may be adopted to secure a desired end. 

 With such hard-wooded plants as Heaths 

 and Epacrises the most striking results 

 are obtained by the one-shift system; 

 but as greater care is necessary to success 

 with such plants, we would advise young 

 beginners to try some of the above soft- 

 wooded plants in the first place, and to 

 keep in view, for all the cases they may 

 try, whether the plants are soft-wooded 

 or hard. 



In common with other modes of pot- 

 ting, the pots should be sound, fairly 

 burned, dry, and either new or thoroughly 

 clean, outside and inside. Secondly, 

 good drainage always essential must 

 here form a chief element of success. 

 In all plants intended to remain in the 

 same pot for years, it cannot be too par- 

 ticularly attended to. Green moss, or 

 chopped wheat-straw, strewed over the 

 drainage, is a good thing for preventing 

 the earthy particles above being washed 

 into- and choking it up. Broken charcoal, 

 from whence the dust has been extracted, 

 is alsa very useful for this purpose. In- 

 deed, larger piece* of charcoal may con- 

 stitute the chief part of the drainage, 

 which will be Lighter than most things 



that could be used a matter of con- 

 siderable importance. On this account 

 alone it is valuable for mixing with the 

 compost to keep it open, independently 

 of any chemical properties it may possess. 

 Thirdly, soil. This, whatever may be its 

 constituents, should be rough and lumpy; 

 the bulk, in general cases, consisting of 

 pieces from the size of peas up to that 

 of beans and walnuts ; and in cases of 

 larger pots, a few pieces may be as large 

 as hens' eggs. In such compost the 

 plants will grow rapidly ; and even in the 

 case of Heaths, &c., they will maintain a 

 healthy appearance for years. Should 

 much of the compost be in larger pieces, 

 the plant will not at all be greatly in- 

 jured for the first season, or more, nor 

 yet as long as the roots are contented to 

 crawl around the surface of the lumps; 

 but when they have reached the side of 

 the pot, and necessity leads them to 

 penetrate the large pieces, a declining 

 appearance is apt to present itself. Hence 

 the complaints against the system, that 

 though plants grow vigorously at first, 

 they were short-lived. Such large shifts, 

 in the fine-sifted soil of old, could not 

 succeed, unless in potted specimens that 

 received more care than can, in general, 

 be given to plants. Using huge lumps 

 of loam or peat would tend to produce 

 a similar evil, though from causes ap- 

 parently different. The middle course 

 is the safe one ; but with rough soil, it is 

 necessary to surface with a little that is 

 finer, that the air may not enter too 

 freely. Fourthly. A pi ant never thrives 

 well when the surface of the ball is sunk 

 several inches below the rim of the pot; 

 and there is something uncouth in ob- 

 serving the centre of the ball sticking 

 up in the centre of the pot, like a mole- 

 hill. In all cases, therefore, but espe- 

 cially where it is intended for a plant to- 

 continue for years, the compost should 

 be pressed firmly before the young plant 

 is set in the centre of the pot ; and as, 

 nevertheless, it will gradually sink a little, 

 the surface of the old soil may just be a 

 little below the rim of the pot. If the 

 roots are the least matted, they should 

 now be gently disentangled, and packed 

 carefully with the hand in layers, putting 

 the finest of the rough soil over the* 

 young rootlets, and the coarser towards 

 the outside, next the side of the pot, 

 and squeezing all rather firmly together 

 with the hand, taking care, however, that 



