62 GARDENING FOR PLEASURE. 



of the pot, then place in the ball of roots exactly in the 

 center, which will leave a space of from half an inch to 

 two or three inches between this and the sides of the pot, 

 according to the size of plant to be shifted ; to pack this 

 space between the side of the pot and the ball of roots 

 with soil, it is better to use a flat stick with which to 

 crowd it in moderately firm, filling up the pot to with- 

 in an inch or so of the rim, this space being required to 

 enable it to hold water. After potting, give a good 

 watering with a sprinkler to settle the soil to the bottom 

 of the pot, but after this be sparing of water until the 

 plant shows signs of new growth, which will take place 

 simultaneously with its making roots in the fresh soil. 

 We use no potsherds or drainage of any sort in our pots, 

 believing it to be perfectly useless to do so, the evapora- 

 tion from the porous sides of the pot in our dry climate 

 giving drainage enough. In the greenhouse we always 

 spread an inch or so of sand on the bench or table 

 upon which the plants stand ; this to some extent pre- 

 vents the plants from being injured when watering has 

 been too long neglected, as the pots and the soil imbibe 

 moisture from the sand which is usually more or less wet. 

 When the plants are placed on bare shelves, either in the 

 sitting-room where they are well exposed to light, or in 

 the greenhouse, watering should be done at least once a 

 day, provided they are growing vigorously. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



WINTER FLOWERING PLANTS. 



The increase in the taste for winter-flowering plants, 

 within the past five years, has been even more positive 

 than that for the cultivation of plants out of doors, 

 formerly it was rare for florists to fill an order in the fall, 



