CHAPTER VII. 



On Potting and Repotting Plants. 



ART. 1. Potting Green-house Plants. 



[The following directions for potting green-house plants 

 are equally applicable to hardy plants, &c.] 



POTTING green-house plants is mostly done a short time 

 previous to taking the plants into the house, which is gene- 

 rally the beginning or middle of September. In performing 

 this business, the first thing to be attended to is the procuring of 

 clean pots, compost, &c., to be used. The compost that will 

 answer most plants, consists of about two-thirds of good mel- 

 low loam, taken from the top sod of a pasture, or other place 

 where sheep, oxen, or other animals have lain and enriched 

 it : this should be taken off about three inches deep, and laid 

 in a heap some time, in order that it may rot and incorporate 

 together. The loam may be mixed with one-third of well 

 rotted leaf mould, or other rich old manure, that will mix and 

 incorporate with the loam; if the loam is not of a sandy 

 quality, a little sand may be applied, in order to give a little 

 drainage to the plants to be potted in it. For some families 

 of plants, as the Erica, Diosma, &c., a black peaty, or bog 

 earth, is the most proper, and must be obtained from the 

 sides of woods, natural bogs, &c. 



Having the soil prepared, the potting may be commenced 

 by carefully turning the plants out of the pots, and paring off 

 with a sharp knife part of the roots matted around the ball. 

 This done, select a pot of a size to allow some fresh compost 

 to be put into the bottom and side; then pot the plant thus: 

 lay a few pieces of pots, or other crockery, at the bottom of 

 the pot, to act as a drainage ; place two or three inches of the 

 compost over the crockery, in the bottom of the pot, and then 

 place the plant with the ball in the centre of it, filling the sides 

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