59 



mucli pounded material is placed oyer it — all becomes 

 nullified. Therefore, so to arrange the first crocks 

 over the hole in the pot as to preclude the possibility 

 of its choking up, and to guard these again by an- 

 other course and order of drainage, constitutes the 

 chief part of the philosophy of potting. We gene- 

 rally place one huge hollow crock half overlapping 

 the hole, a second half overlapping that, and a third 

 overlapping both ; by which means we have at least 

 three main outlets for water ; and it is very improba- 

 ble that all should be choked at once. This accom- 

 plished, we cover to the depth of one-fifth of the pot, 

 be its size what it may, with a mixture of pounded 

 crocks, charcoal, and bone, in about equal quantities. 

 A little turfy matter, with nearly all the soil battered 

 out, is then thrown over the crocks, and on this the 

 ball is placed, taking care so to calculate as to the 

 depth of the pot that the surface of the ball will bear 

 a coating of an inch or two of the prepared mixture, 

 which, as we before observed, we consider necessary 

 as a sort of regulator of moisture ; for, without this 

 the moisture of the soil or turf would be liable in ex- 

 treme dryness of the atmosphere to evaporate too 

 speedily. The ball being placed in the above prepa- 

 rations, lumpy mellow turf, shook in a coarse riddle in 

 a dry state, to dispossess it of much of the mere 

 earthy particles, is crammed in around the ball to 

 wedge it in its position. Over this, a layer of the 



