33 The New Practical Window Gardener. 



CHAPTER V. 



SOIL AND DRAINAGE. 



flE must now consider the suitable kinds of soil 

 required, and the proper drainage for a pot 

 before the plant is put in it. 

 A very accommodating mixture suitable for nearly 

 all kinds of plants in pots is composed of one part of 

 , turfy loam, one part of leaf mould, and barely one 

 part of silver sand, with one half part of dry cow-dung, 

 rubbed down fine, added. The cow-dung gives a 

 robust healthy constitution to soft-wooded plants, such 

 as geraniums, fuchsias, cinerarias, calceolarias, and 

 many others. The manure should be left out, how- 

 ever, in potting ferns, mosses, the cactus tribe, and all 

 peat-loving plants in general, which should have one 

 part of nice fibry peat added instead. For quick 

 growing soft-wooded plants a pinch or two of ground 

 bones may be added with advantage. Any nurseryman 

 will supply you with as much mixed soil for a few 

 pence as would fill a dozen pots, or if you have a 

 gardener friend he will see you put right. When 

 ordering soil for potting from a nurseryman state the 

 kind of plants you intend potting and he will give you 

 sou accordingly. When potting peat-loving plants, 



