UNHEALTHY PLANTS THE KEMEDY. 67 



properly adjusted to the wants of the plant, the putting 

 in of crocks for drainage is worse than useless, I care not 

 what the plant may be. Our greenhouse establishment 

 now covers nearly two acres, yet not a pot is so " drained." 

 The need of a larger pot is shown by the earth becoming 

 so filled with roots that they well cover the outside of the 

 ball, but shifting into a larger pot should be done while 

 the roots are yet white ; if left until the roots get thor- 

 oughly matted, brown, and hard, it is too late, and the 

 future growth will be seriously retarded. If the plant 

 has been allowed to reach this condition, which we 

 call "pot bound," it is best to lay the ball of roots 

 on one hand and slap it smartly so as to loosen it ; 

 by this treatment the new fibres strike out more read- 

 ily from the hard roots than if left with the ball still 

 compact. After shifting a plant, give it one good water- 

 ing, so that the soil will be thoroughly soaked to the bot- 

 tom of the pot ; but after that, keep rather dry until 

 there are indications of new growth. For manner of pot- 

 ting, see chapter on "The Potting of Plants." We are 

 often asked as to the use of guano and other fertilizers on 

 in-door plants. As a general thing we use none in our 

 own practice, preferring to shift the plants into fresh soil 

 at the proper time, rather than to do so, and we would 

 advise the same to our friends of less experience, for the 

 use of all such stimulants is, under certain conditions 

 of the plants, dangerous in unpracticed hands. 



CHAPTER XX. 



UNHEALTHY PLANTS THE REMEDT. 



Whenever plants begin to drop their leaves, it is cer- 

 tain that their health has been injured ; this may be due to 

 over-potting, over-watering, over-heating, too much cold, 



