CARE OF POT PLAINTS: WATERING, ETC 



Plants in pots may be compared to caged birds, both being in unnatural conditions. Their 

 requirements must be filled, or results will be unsatisfactory. A free bird, or a free plant, 

 having the air, or mother earth around them, can resist winds, and dust, and dryness, and 

 many other things that interfere with growth; but when in cages, or pots, they are entirely 

 at the mercy of those who own them. Birds generally fare better than plants, for it is hot un- 

 common to see plants sitting in windows, and on railings of verandas, day after day, exposed 

 to sun, winds and dryness; the pots are porous and the roots of the plants are close against the 

 side, they soon become hard and dry and incapable of transmitting supplies to the leaves and 

 stem The plant itself exposed to winds and dryness, reaches a pitiable condition, and life 

 soon becomes a matter of simple endurance, depending entirely upon its powers of resistance. 

 The supply of water is often deficient, the dry pot absorbing a great deal, and most of the water 

 running down on the outside of the ball, the center of the ball being dry. 



Pot plants growing in exposed places should have double pots or pot covers, much injury 

 being done by the exposure of the porous clay of the pots to drying influences. There are 

 certain plants that can bear exposure to adverse influences, better than others. Among them 

 are Yuccas, Aloes, Fourcroyas, Palms, Drancenas, Asparagras sprengeri and a few other plants 

 with thick leathery leaves. Plants in pots should never be allowed to become dry. Neglect 

 of this kind, once, may cause more damage to the roots of a plant than it can repair in a month. 

 The ends of a root are supplied with mouths or ducts, through which they absorb moisture or 

 nutriment. If these are destroyed by drying or decayed by over-watering, the source of supply 

 is cut off from the plant. It has to put out new roots before it can regain its vigor. Hence 

 the importance of care in watering. * 



New or dry pots should be soaked in water before potting plants, so as to fill the pores, 

 or they will absorb moisture from the soil and dry out the roots. It is a good plan to protect 

 potted plants with covers or set them inside of a second pot to keep plant from drying out. The 

 roots near the sides of the pot are easily dried in sun or draught. Covers or double pots shade 

 them. Covers can be made of rice matting, and various other materials, or pot covers can 

 be purchased ready made. 



Plant rooted cuttings in 2 to 2\ inch pots, and re-pot into larger sizes as the pots fill up 

 with roots. Small plants should never be put into large pots, but advanced as they gain size 

 and strength. If over-potted, the soil becomes sodden before the plant grows large enough 

 to require the room. It grows slowly and often makes a complete failure. In re-potting, 

 turn the pot over, face down, placing the fingers across the top to hold the plant and gently 

 tap the edge of the pot on the edge of the table or potting bench. The plant will slip out easily 

 and their roots can be examined and plant slipped back in the pot, or potted on, as desired. 



If the roots have reached the outside of the ball and formed a network around it, it re- 

 quires a larger pot. 



THE CARE OF FERNS 



Most ferns, especially those offered in greenhouses, are shade-loving. Their native 

 homes are in canyons, or under trees in moist places, where the air is quiet, and their fronds, 

 are not disturbed. Many of them are from tropical countries and quite a number have ori- 

 ginated in greenh ouses, either as sports or from spores, as their seeds are called. Adiantums 

 or maiden-hair ferns, are more difficult to manage in the house, because they will not long 

 survive the dry air of rooms, owing to the extreme delicacy and small size of their pinnules, 

 whicn- are sometimes almost as delicate as gauze. ; They are sensitive to dryness of the air, 

 though they will often do well in shaded places outside, in lath houses, or shady verandas, 

 and only the few succeed with them in the house Many other kinds are admirably adapted 

 for house culture; among the different varieties of Nephrolepis, of which the Boston fern is 

 one. The Asplenium Belangeri, Woodwardia, (a native California fern); Dicksonia 

 Antarctica, 



Ferns should not be placed in halls, or situations exposed to draughts. They require 

 great care in watering. People often think they have watered their plants when the water 

 has only gone over the surface and around the sides of the pots, the center of the ball being 

 still quite dry. This is especially the case when the pots are filled with roots. It is necessary 

 that the ball should be thoroughly soaked. There is no regular rule as to the time for water- 

 ing. Plants in vigorous growth require more frequent watering. Evaporation also, has much 

 to do with it. On dry warm days, when evaporation is great, water may be needed twice a 

 day, while if the air is cool and moist two or three days might intervene without water, A 

 healthy vigorous plant absorbs much water, while a delicate one can absorb but little. The 

 soil should be examined always, and if dry, watered ; if not refrain from watering. A dry pot 

 if tapped, gives a hollow sound like a ripe watermelon, while one that is wet gives a dull heavy 

 sound that indicates moisture. 



When leaves shrivel and turn yellow, the soil has been too dry; if they turn yellow with- 

 out shriveling, it indicates too much water has been given. In either case, the roots have 

 been abused and lost their power of absorption. 



Plants which are late in blooming may often be made to give their flowers earlier by al- 

 lowing them to become pot-bound, after which they can be fed with fertilizers and kept from 



I suffering from lack of fresh soil. 



The reason of this is that when the vigor of growth is checked, supplies are cut off. This 

 induces a plant to put forth buds earlier than it would under normal conditions. Many vines 

 or plants make very strong growth before blooming. When grown in the east it is sometimes 

 as late as September before they give any flowers, which makes a very short; blooming season, 



I for frosts kill them, a sad disappointment to those who have watched them grow so long, 



