POTTING 



55 



(liiwn, on a \\ ell-draincd space adjacent to the greenhouse. 

 L'l in\enient. widths are (i to 10 feet. On this layer place 

 t\\o or three inches of well-rotted manure and sprinkle 

 pulverized lime on it — sa\-. a scant pailful to the scjuare 

 rod Repeat alternate la\ers of sud and manure until a 

 pile three to fi\e or six feet high with sloping sides and of 

 any desired length has been made. It is an advantage to 

 make the top concave, so it will hold water when needed. 



Let the pile stand thus for t\^■o years or longer before 

 being used. Then slice with a sharp spade verticall}- 

 from top to bottom and 

 mix thoroughly by 

 throwing in a heap as 

 slicing proceeds. At the 

 same time, add enough 

 sand to be plainly visible 

 on the pile. 



Commercial green- 

 house men cannot usual- 

 ly afford so expensive a 

 soil as this because of 

 the cost of the turf and 

 the loam — often $100 to 

 $200 an acre for the 

 surface three or four 

 inches. The}', there- 

 fore, use a ricii gar- 

 den loam with liberal quantities of compost and sand. 

 For houses where little of the earth is sold with the 

 plants the soil is returned to the field after being used 

 in the greenhouse and there liberally fertilized and made 

 to grow crops of clover, rye, buckwheat and grass, each 

 crop plowed under to fill the earth with vegetable mat- 

 ter for its next journey to the greenhouse. In such 

 cases the soil is generally run through a mixing machine 

 before it is used. Thus the soil area actually becomes 

 richer and more friable from vear to year. 



FIG. 45^S1FTING SOIL FOR POTTING 



The hand method of getting rid of clods and 

 stones. 



