Preparation of Soil. 213 



to see houses so incumbered. Every place, no matter 

 how small it is, should have provision made for unused 

 pots in some locality convenient to the potting bench, 

 where all the sizes may be kept by themselves and be 

 ready at hand when wanted for use. The waste from 

 breakage is less, and much more time is saved each 

 season than would build a convenient pot rack every 

 year. (See Fig. 41.) 



PREPARATION OF SOIL. 



In this, several things are sought to be accomplished. 

 The decomposition, as well as the preservation of the 

 fibre, destruction of, and protection against insect ene- 

 inies,and the thorough minglingof all ingredients added 

 to the soil. 



At first thought there is a seeming inconsistency in 

 the first two, both destruction and preservation being 

 sought in the same thing. This is because time is re- 

 quired to turn the sod and make it tender, but it should 

 not be so thoroughly decomposed as to destroy the fibre 

 and thus allow the soil to pack too closely. All rose soil 

 should contain sod and its roots. If it is a tough old 

 blue grass spd, so much the better. The depth at which 

 it should be taken must be regulated somewhat by the 

 time elapsing before needed for use, as well as by the 

 amount of land available. The ideal soil pile is com- 

 posed of sods cut two inches deep and allowed to re- 

 main in the pile several months before being used. It 



