Care of Pot Plants: 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 whe own them. Birds generally fare better 
than plants, for it is not uncommon 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, Dracenas, Asparagus 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 ina month. The ends of a root are supplied with mouths or 
duets, through which they absorb moisture or nutriment. If these are destroyed by dry- 
ing 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 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 nold the plant and gently tap the edge of the pot on the edge of a 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 roots have reached the outside of the ball and formed a network around it, it 
requires a larger pot. 
THE CARE OF FERNS 
Most ferns, especially those offered in greenhouses, are shade-loving. Their native 
homes are in canyons, cr 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 originated in green houses, either aS sports or from spores, as their seeds are 
called. Adiantums or maiden-hair ferns, are most 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, which are sometimes as delicate as gauze. They are 
sensitive to dryness of the air, though they will often do well in shaded places, in 
lath houses, or shady verandas, and only a 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.) . 
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 watering. Plants in vigorous growth require more frequent water- 
ing. Evaporation also, has much to do with it. On dry warm days, when exaporation 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 watermellon, 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 
without 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 
allowing them to become pot-bound, after which they can be fed with fertilizers and 
kept from 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 condi- 
tions. 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, for frosts kill them, a sad CHS LOI NOUa ANN to those 
who have watched them grow so long. 
