102 Milady's House Plants 



When and How to Shift the Plants 



As soon as possible after the first of May, all the 

 house plants should be taken to the garden and as- 

 sembled in a shady place where one can work in com- 

 fort and where the roots when exposed will not be 

 injured by the sun. Here also a potting bench 

 should be provided, say a few boards, or a door, or 

 shutter laid on the top of two barrels, and a supply of 

 soil prepared. This latter should consist of loam that 

 has formed six or eight inches of the top layer of land 

 on which grass has been growing, preferably land on 

 which cattle have been pastured. The thinnest pos- 

 sible skimming of sod should be taken off and thrown 

 away to get rid of the actual grass, but the fibrous 

 layer immediately below, which is rich in humus and 

 beneficent bacteria and has long life and fertility, 

 must be religiously saved. Brown or yellowish up- 

 land soil is better than the black stuff found in low, 

 moist situations. 



An Ancient Fallacy 



There is a popular superstition that this bog or 

 black peat has wonderful growing qualities. Un- 

 fortunately, this fallacy has extended even to pro- 

 fessional gardeners, who should have known better, 

 with the result of many a failure and disappointment 

 not only among potted plants, but in gardens and 

 lawns also. 



Preparing the Soil 



If the available loam is light in color and inclined 

 to be stony, add to it one-third old leafmold, that is. 



