I'KRAXDAH GARDEXING 125 



palms and most foliage plants prefer a rich loamy soil. A 

 good potting soil for general purposes is obtained from the turf of 

 pasture land ; when used it should he in a well-decayed and friable 

 condition. The turf should be procured long before it is required, 

 and stacked (with the grass-side down), incorporating with it layers 

 of cattle manure and leaf-mould. Where it is difficult to obtain 

 turf or loamy soil, a good substitute may be made by a mixture of 

 well-decomposed coir dust, leaf-mould, and well-rotted cattle 

 manure. In Colombo, for instance, this is practically the only kind 

 of soil procurable for potting plants. 



Worms, eelworms, centipedes, etc. in pots. Vaporite is an 

 excellent remedy for disposing of these, and should be in the 

 possession of everybody who grows plants in pots. It is a simple 

 but effectual preparation, and may be applied in a solution with 

 water (say a table-spoonful to a gallon of water), or merely sprinkled 

 dry on the surface of the soil before watering. Where vaporite is not 

 at hand, lime-water or soot-water may to some extent answer the 

 purpose. In obstinate cases it is recommended to stop the hole of 

 the pot with clay for a few hours, so that the whole of the soil may 

 become saturated with the solution. 



VERANDAH GARDENING 



An essential feature of horticulture in the tropics is what may 

 be called verandah-gardening, which in many cases covers the 

 entire gardening operations of a householder. Nothing brightens 

 the appearance of a bungalow so much as a verandah furnished 

 with well-grown and choice plants, and these may be considered as 

 indispensable to a verandah as the latter is to a bungalow. As 

 window-gardening is now a prominent feature in many European 

 towns, being publicly supported and supervised by tasteful women, 

 the attention of municipal authorities in the tropics might well be 

 directed to the advisability of encouraging verandah gardening in 

 towns. The successful growth of plants in a verandah will, of 

 course, depend very largely on aspect and situation. Many 

 beautiful foliage plants which become stunted or scorched by the 

 sun on the south side of a bungalow, will thrive luxuriantly in a 

 shucly north verandah. Ferns generally are best suited to a shady 

 northern aspect. It is often advisable, however, to change the plants, 

 as may be gauged by their indifferent or unevenly developed growth, 

 from north to south, or vice versa. All plants growing in a verandah 

 should be turned round frequently in their position, so as to equal- 

 ise the effects of the light, otherwise their growth will be one-sided. 



