The New Practical Window Gardener. 33 



such as heaths, no turfy loam is required, but peat 

 earth, leaf-mould and a liberal supply of silver sand. 

 The cactus tribe are always benefited by a quantity of 

 small-broken brick being added. 



You should never use common garden soil in potting 

 plants, for it is always too finely pulverised, and greatly 

 deficient in the natural food required by a healthy pot- 

 plant. By being potted in such soil, the ball of the 

 plantr by frequent watering becomes a close sodden 

 mass, through which the roots are very unwilling to 

 penetrate] when this takes place the roots begin to 

 decay, and the plant falls into a state of premature 

 decline. The kind of soil you require is an open fibry 

 compost through which the air can penetrate, and the 

 water pass freely away, enabling the roots to extract 

 the essential gases so necessary to the life of the 

 plant. Turfy loam or peat earth, according to the class 

 of plants you intend to pot, should therefore be the 

 principal part of your compost. Turfy loam is the 

 turf cut from good old pasture to the depth of four or 

 five inches, selected as fibry as you can get it, and laid 

 up for six months or so in a heap to rot. Peat earth is 

 the turf cut from a selected part of heathy common, 

 having plenty of fibry matter, with a sprinkling of 

 sharp silver sand running through it, and laid up also 

 to rot before using. When you prepare your turf for 

 potting, chop it up small with a chopper or spade, but 

 never sift it, for the turfy matter gradually decom- 

 posing in the pot aifords the most natural food re- 

 quired for the health and well-being of your plants. 

 Leaf mould is formed from the leaves of autumn 



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