HOUSE, AREA, AND WINDOW GAEDENING. 



3 



tog-ether from the hills and mixed in the valleys, we 

 need not he surprised at the still greater variety of 

 soils that are found, containing- these decomposed 

 rocks in varying quantities. The soils so formed are 

 called clayey, chalky, or sandy, according to the 

 degree in which clay, chalk, or sand preponderates in 

 their composition. 



But often, before the rain has washed away this 

 dust, the spores of Lichens and of other allied plants 

 lodge and begin to grow on many parts of the partially 

 decomposed rocks. These die, and their remains are 

 mixed with the dust, and thus a soil is formed upon 

 which plants of a somewhat higher degree can grow, 

 such as Mosses. Again, these decay, and prepare the 

 soil for plants of higher orders. At times portions 

 of these more or less manured soils get washed down 

 into the valleys, and mixed with the pure soils before 

 mentioned. 



From this it will he inferred that most soils have 

 in their composition some portion of organic remains, 

 though in many cases the portion of decayed vegeta- 

 tion is very small. 



Thus we see that all soils are composed of in- 

 organic and organic constituents in very variable 

 proportions. 



Sand is the soil which contains less organic or 

 vegetable matter in it than any other, and is con- 

 sequently spoken of as a poor " soil. 



Feat^ on the other hand, is almost entirely made 

 up of decayed plants, and has a very little sand or 

 clay in it ; hence gardeners value this highly for 

 mixing with other soils. 



Leaf-mould is the result of leaves being kept in 

 heaps and occasionally turned over, and thus allowed 

 to rot gradually. It takes two or three years to 

 thoroughly rot most leaves, at the end of which time 

 they become convei-ted into a valuable manure for 

 plants in pots. 



Loam is the soil of most importance to gardeners. 

 It consists of clay and sand mixed in different pro- 

 portions. When there is but little sand in it, it is 

 called " stiff" soil, because the roots of plants cannot 

 readily make their way through it. Although it ab- 

 sorbs water very slowly, it holds moisture for a long 

 time when it is once wet ; but when sand prepon- 

 derates over clay the loam takes in water very 

 readily, and roots have no difficulty in permeating 

 through it. Hence sandy loam is the gardener's best 

 friend. 



Having procured a supply of each of these kinds of 

 soil, a very little practice at mixing them in different 

 quantities, and observing the appearance and the 

 feel of the mixtures, will enable the amateur to 

 determine what sort of soil any plant has been 

 growing in, and to add more of the same if it 

 requires it. 



Drainage. — When plants are grown for sale it 

 does not pay to waste much time or trouble over 

 drainage. But when plants are grown for the plea- 

 sure which their beauty affords, the question of proper 

 drainage becomes of importance. 



" Crocks " is the term which gardeners use when 

 they are talking of pieces of broken flower-pots. In 

 breaking these into small pieces mu.ch grit and 

 powder is unavoidably made ; this must be washed 

 out, and the remaining pieces form the best drainage 

 that can be used for pot-plants. 



The man whose only object in growing- a plant is 

 to dispose of it, contents himself with putting one 

 piece of crock over the hole at the bottom of the 

 flower-pot ; but this will not do for plants that have 

 to be grown in windows. For such plants the hole 

 of the flower-pot must be covered with a slightly 

 cur\'ed (not a flat) crock ; upon and around this must 

 be arranged a layer, about an inch deep, of crocks 

 of the size of a small walnut ; over these a half- 

 inch layer of crocks of the size of a hazel-nut, and 

 upon this a very thin layer of moss, just enough 

 to prevent the soil being washed down in amongst 

 the crocks when the plant is watered. Ferns grow 

 all the better if the layers of drainage are each twice 

 as thick as those described ; and the same applies 

 to marsh and aquatic plants, whose pots have to 

 stand in pans of water. 



When a plant looks sickly, and does not repay you 

 for all your care and attention, the probabilities are 

 that something is wrong with the drainage. Turn 

 the plant upside down, rap the rim of the pot on 

 the bench or table, to loosen the ball of earth ; 

 remove the pot, and you will most likely find that 

 the earth has got washed down amongst the crocks, 

 that the water cannot drain off, and that the points 

 of the rootlets are rotten. Such a plant must be at 

 once re-potted in a proper manner. 



Receptacles for Hoots of Plants. — The 



commonest receptacle in which to cultivate plants 

 that are not grown in the open ground is an earthen- 

 ware pot. But pots may be made of other mate- 

 rials than clay. Plants may also be grown in 

 boxes, which in some respects are better than pots, 

 though there are several disadvantages in using 

 them. 



Baskets also are very convenient, when lined with 

 moss to prevent the mould running through. These 

 may be made of wire in many very ornamental 

 forms, and also of strips of wood. The half of a 

 husk of a cocoa-nut makes a very useful basket. 



The tins which have held preserved meats and 

 fruits are often used by poor people, who pick them 

 off dust-heaps, and punch a hole in the bottom for 

 drainage. These, of course, can only be used tern- 



