96 THE GARDEN BEAUTIFUL 



throughout the year ; some will survive the sunshine 

 of winter but quickly succumb to the uninterrupted 

 summer sun. Give them plenty of fresh air, every 

 day, even in winter, leave the doors and windows 

 open as much as possible, but do not allow a strong, 

 cold draft to strike across tender plants. 



Exercise great care in watering; hundreds of fine 

 plants are ruined by daily waterings. Water thor- 

 oughly, a generous soaking, filling up the pot three 

 or four times, about five minutes apart. Then let 

 them rest for several days, or until the earth gets 

 dry on top. A better plan for watering is to stand 

 the pots in a vessel of water for from ten to twenty 

 minutes. Air is as necessary to the roots of a plant 

 as it is to the top, and when confined in a pot soon 

 loses its life-giving properties and must be changed. 

 You may drive out the foul air by a thorough water- 

 ing and then when the water dries out it will be re- 

 placed by fresh air, thus giving perfect ventilation 

 to the soil. 



POTTING AND REPOTTING 



Need of repotting is shown when the pot is fairly 

 well filled with roots so that when the pot is removed 

 the ball of soil is held together and netted over with 

 good live roots. Some few plants need repotting 

 before this stage is reached ; still fewer should remain 

 unpotted longer, but both of these classes are marked 

 exceptions to the rule and need not be treated in 

 general advice on potting. Generally a shift to a 

 pot one size larger is enough and this but once a year, 

 preferably in the spring. Sometimes it is not neces- 

 sary to entirely repot. A considerable quantity of 

 the old soil can be dug out without seriously dis- 

 turbing the roots, and fresh soil given in its place. 

 This is an easier and quicker operation than entire 



