SECT. XVI It* OF FLOWED 5. 



217 



of earth, (as fome do) but only juft faften the loofe 

 mould that is put round it. If the foil is light, prefs- 

 that a little which is firft put in at the bottom. If a 

 plant that is to be potted be zvithout mould about its 

 roots, raife a hillock (at a proper height) in the middle 

 of the pet, to lav the roots on and round: It muft 

 always be avoided planting in the pots/*? deep, becaufe 

 fo much of the pot is loft as is above, except the fort is 

 apt to ftrike root above, as bolfams. In all tranfplanta- 

 /ions, it is proper to fhorten fome of the roots, and the 

 molt ftraggling are to be c ho fen for the purpofe; fo that 

 when it is done with a ball of earth, fome of the ex- 

 ternal fibres muft be cut off, if it was not done by taking 

 up, which it generally is when the plants are any thifg 

 forge* 



Annuals in pots will require water every day, in very 

 hot weather, and in moderately fo, every other; but 

 thofe in the open ground will do twice as long (or 

 more) without water being given them. Some forts 

 will need more water than others, as egg plants and 

 halfamSy than coxcombs and tricolors. This matter, and 

 a variety of others, will be learned by obfervation, 

 without a talent for which, no one can poflibly become 

 a good gardener. The mo ft exatt directions will not 

 take in every cufe, and rules will be of little avail, 

 wheie the mind is not in diligent exercife. 



In genera], potted plants require water according to 

 the weather, their fit nation as to the fun, the fize ot the 

 pots, the fulnefs of the roots, the quantity of leaves, 

 and the particular nature of their fub fiance, as fuc- 

 culent or not: The fmaller pots muft have it the more 

 frequently. The earth alfo in which plants grow makes 

 a great difference, as fome forts of foil retain mpifture 

 much longer than others. It may be a quejlion whether 

 pots of annual flowers ftanding in pans, fhould have 

 water conftantly kept in them, or only watered (in due 

 time) on the top, till it runs through: Both practices 

 re followed by good gardeners; but the latter I think 



