194 GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



force in the case of Greenhouse Plants, and may be equally 

 consulted by those who grow such plants only. 



In repotting greenhouse plants, more care is necessary 

 than in the case of those grown in the stove, because very few 

 of them can bear the application of extra heat, to stimulate 

 renewed root-action, or compensate them for any check they 

 may receive from the operation. The operator must conse- 

 quently perform his work with greater care and judgment. 

 The stand recommended at page 16 will be of the greatest 

 service in repotting the plants. When they are placed in the 

 fresh pots, the new soil should be made veiy firm, so as to 

 encourage the fine thread-like roots to penetrate it. This is 

 generally done by ramming it down with a blunted stick, 

 called a " potting-stick " ; but if such an implement is used 

 for the purpose, great care must be exercised, for in unskilful 

 or careless hands it may so lacerate the roots as to cause the 

 death of the plant. 



In the operation of potting, three things have to be 

 studied — viz., to place the plant in the centre of the pot, to 

 have it exactly erect, and to set it at a proper distance below 

 the level of the pot-rim, so that in watering a sufficient 

 quantity can be given to moisten the whole mass, while at 

 the same time the stem is not buried. Death is certain to 

 be the result, if hard-wooded plapts have their stems deeply 

 buried in the soil. Before the plant is turned out of its old 

 pot to be repotted, it must be prepared for the change it is to 

 undergo. No plants should be repotted immediately after 

 being watered, neither should they be repotted when dry — 

 death is almost sure to follow in either case, though from 

 directly opposite causes. The proper condition for a' plant 

 to be in which is about to be shifted, is that happy interme- 

 diate state, when the ball of earth is neither wet nor dry ; 

 and always bear in mind to have the pots perfectly clean and 



