THE POTTING OF PLANTS. 61 



or city folks can get sweepings from the pavements, and 

 these mixed in equal bulk with any good fresh soil, that 

 from an old cultivated garden is not usually so good, 

 will make a potting soil in which almost any plant will 

 grow vigorously ; of late years we have used street sweep- 

 ings largely in our potting soil, and like it very much. 



Now having the soil in proper condition, the next 

 thing is the pots, which, if they are not new, should be 

 thoroughly washed, so that the evaporation of moisture 

 will take place freely through the porous sides. One of 

 the most common errors among amateur cultivators is to 

 put their plants in too large pots. If a plant such as a 

 Kose or Geranium is lifted up out of the ground to be 

 potted, it should be placed in a pot only large enough to 

 allow an inch or so of soil to be placed below, and around 

 its roots, or to make it better understood, if the plants 

 are, say a foot high, and a foot in diameter, they should 

 be pruned back so that the diameter will not be more 

 than 6 or 8 inches, and for such sized plants the pot 

 should not be more than 6 inches wide and deep. 



The same rule applies to plants that have been grow- 

 ing in pots ; if it is now in a pot three inches wide, a proper 

 shift will be to one four or four and a half inches wide ; 

 if in a five-inch, shift to six and a half or seven-inch, 

 and so on. In taking a plant out of a pot to place it in 

 another one, turn it upside down with the fingers of the 

 left hand spread over the surface of the earth, or top of 

 the ball ; with the right hand holding the pot by the 

 bottom, give the rim a smart rap on the edge of a 

 board, and the ball of earth enveloping the root will 

 come out, just as a jelly will out of a mold. I am par- 

 ticular in referring to this simple matter, knowing that 

 it is no uncommon thing for ladies to break the pot with 

 a hammer in their endeavors to get at the root, although 

 they would hardly sacrifice a bowl to get at the jelly. 

 In shifting, or repotting, place a little soil in the bottom 



