SOILS 



Leaf-mold may be secured in any uncleared 

 wood where the leaves have a chance to decay. 

 The upper partly decayed leaves should be 

 removed and the light soil just beneath secured. 

 Leaf-mold from a forest of soft or mixed forms 

 is much to be preferred to that from an oak 

 forest, as the latter contains a considerable 

 amount of tannin. In securing leaf-mold the 

 decayed remains of old logs or stumps should 

 not be taken as they are of little value. 



Peat may be collected from a bog or swamp, 

 but it is best to secure it from a florist, already 

 prepared for use. It is used for practically the 

 same purposes as leaf-mold. 



SIFTING OF SOIL 



No soil for potting purposes should ever be 

 sifted unless it is for very small pots. Even 

 then it is best when broken very fine and un- 

 screened. When screened the sieve used should 

 never be finer than four meshes to the inch. 

 Screening has a tendency to make the soil so 

 fine that in potting it packs too closely and 

 soon cakes and becomes very hard. When 



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