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CHAPTER I 



SOIL FOR PLANTS IN POTS 



Two mistakes are to be avoided by the amateur 

 floriculturist. That of thinking that plants in pots will 

 grow well in any kind of soil is one of them. This idea 

 originates from an observation of the comparatively 

 satisfactory development of plants in the garden, whose 

 soil seems to be of only ordinary fertility. If plants 

 do well in such a soil, when grown in the garden beds, 

 why will they not do as well in the same soil, in a 

 pot, the amateur asks himself. He sees no reason 

 why they should not. But the fact is, they will not. 

 Out in the garden they are growing under natural 

 conditions, where they get the benefit of fresh air, and 

 dew, and sunshine, and can attract to themselves nutri- 

 ment from all sides. The result is far dififerent from 

 what it would be if we were to attempt to grow 

 plants in this soil, in pots, because, in the latter case, 

 all conditions are changed materially. To grow plants 

 well in pots the soil must be rich, and the amateur, 

 to be successful, must not make the mistake of think- 

 ing that any soil will answer the purpose. 



The other mistake is this : That each plant must 

 have a soil specially prepared for it. It may be 



