464 



Gardening for Amateurs 



were on dry shelves in the greenhouse, but 

 the soil must never be allowed to become 

 really dry. 



The First Potting. It is advisable to 

 have the compost mixed some weeks in 

 advance of the time when it will be wanted. 

 It should consist of fibrous loam, 2 parts ; 

 leaf-soil, 1 part ; rotted manure and sand, 

 1 part. To a bushel of the above combined 



The first break is said to form when 

 a bud develops at the apex of 

 the plant. This must be pinched 

 off together with all, except 

 three, of the side shoots. 



Showing the three selected shoots 

 (1, 2, 3) a few weeks later. 

 indicates the place from 

 which the bud was removed. 



parts add a 5-inch potful of bonemeal ; 

 one of soot, and one of wood ashes ; a little 

 concentrated fertiliser, such as guano, used 

 according to instructions, may also be mixed 

 in. But do not make the compost too rich 

 for the young plants, as feeding can easily 

 be done afterwards as becomes necessary. 

 Clean pots and crocks are essential. The 

 compost should be moderately moist when 

 used. First shift the plants to large 60's ; 



then at the second potting to 5-inch and 

 6-inch pots, putting the strongest growing 

 varieties in the 6-inch pots. Do not pot 

 all at the same time, but pick out the 

 most forward plants those best rooted 

 and pot them directly they are ready, pro- 

 ceeding with this work until all are potted. 



Moderate pressure with the fingers will be 

 sufficient at the first and second pottings. 

 It is only necessary to use a blunt stick or 

 rammer when the plants are transferred to 

 7, 8, 9-inch, and still larger pots. 



When Stopping Should be Done. 

 Never " stop " a weakly plant. Stopping 

 certainly checks growth, and plants so treated 

 must be strong. Having decided to stop cer- 

 tain plants, simply pinch off the top either 

 ten days before the re-potting is done or one 

 week after that operation. Stopping and re- 

 potting at the same time may cause a serious 

 check to the growth of young shoots. 



SummerTreatment. The summer treat- 

 ment may commence from the time the 

 plants are placed out of doors. The first 

 move should be made to a position where 

 a little shelter is afforded by a fence or 

 screen about 4 feet high. Place the plants 

 1 foot apart, on a firm bed of ashes. It is a 

 mistake to crowd them at this stage ; the 

 lower leaves will suffer if they are put too 

 close together. Possibly some of the plants 

 will need longer stakes, if so, do the work 

 forthwith, as it would be a pity to have the 

 b: ittle tops of the shoots broken at this stage. 



Towards the middle of May and onwards 

 to the end of June natural breaks (i.e. 

 fresh growths) will occur. These are to be 

 preferred to those produced by pinching 

 out the points of the shoots, and the latter 

 work should not be performed unnecessarily. 



The Final Potting. It is wise occasion- 

 ally to examine the roots of the different 

 plants and to re-pot the latter as becomes 

 necessary rather than to fix a certain date 

 and then shift all to larger pots. If this 

 is done some plants will be too much pot- 

 bound, others will not be sufficiently rooted. 

 A compost similar to that recommended 

 for the previous potting, may be used, but 

 the materials forming the bulk should be 

 coarser more lumpy. A dry plant must be 

 watered an hour or two prior to being re- 

 potted. Carefully place the crocks in the 



