35 



than cleanly cut), once become cankered, or 

 contaminated in any manner, the branches 

 must also be expected to suffer and decay. 



It may not be amiss here, to notice an old 

 but erroneous practice followed by many ; I 

 mean that of paring off the best * part of the 

 roots with a knife ; (which they seldom fail to 

 have ready for that purpose;) then, without 

 ever loosening the remaining part of the ball, 

 set it in the new pot with a little fresh earth 

 thrown loosely about it : as a matter of course, 

 they think it must then be completely drenched 

 or flooded from the water-pot ; and lastly, to 

 crown the whole, perhaps set it immediately in 

 a pan of water : when, if they only took time 

 to consider the mutilated state, to which they 

 have reduced the roots, it is impossible they 

 could ever conceive them to be in a state fit 

 to undergo such treatment with any -kind of 

 advantage : but it is the misfortune of many, 

 who will not for a moment hesitate to under- 

 take the care of tender and curious plants, as a 

 matter easily understood ; yet will not take the 



* I say the best, as the tips or ends of the fibres are 

 undoubtedly the active agents in collecting the food for the 

 stem &c, the whole of which are generally destroyed, as 

 they for the most part form the exterior coat of the ball. 



d2 



