SHIFTING AND POTTING. 



75 



should be shifted mto pots of one size larger. All plants that appear in 

 a weak and sickly condition, should be turned out of the pots and the 

 roots examined, the dead ones cut away, the sour and exhausted mould 

 displaced, and then planted into a pot somewhat smaller than that out of 

 which it was taken, ^^Tien a pot feels heavier than usual, it is a sign 

 that the ball has absorbed too much water, either from an excess of that 

 element having been supplied, or, as is more generally the case, from im- 

 perfect di'aining. "When such is the case, reduce the ball, prune the roots, 

 and re-pot it as recommended above. The mould should be prepared by 

 being chopped fine, or even put through a coarse sieve, of not less than 

 one inch in the mesh, unless, indeed, the plants be young ; for very 

 large plants the mould may even be much coarser than that which will 

 pass through a sieve of the above dimensions. Whether for large or 

 small plants, it is absolutely necessary that the mould be dry at the time 

 of potting, as should also be the pots into which the plants are to be put. 

 It is not always necessary that new pots should be used, but care should 

 be taken that they are clean, and selected of sizes to suit the plants to be 

 operated on. 



In potting, draining is of the first importance ; for this purpose from one 

 to three inches, according to the size of the pot, should be filled mth 

 broken pots, cinders, small stones, chippings of freestone, or small pebbles, 

 over a piece of potsherd or oyster shell, placed over the hole in the bottom 

 of the pot : over this drainage a thin layer of dry moss should be placed, 

 to prevent the finer earthy particles from being washed down, and to stop 

 the cavities through which the superfluous water is intended to pass ; and 

 as the various species of moss, hypna^ &c., have the property of absorb- 

 ing humidity, and also of retaining it for a considerable time, the roots 

 will by this means be kept cool and moist, much to their advantage. 



In placing the plant in a new pot, it has been recommended to keep 

 the top of the ball considerably above the level of the top of the pot : 

 in so far as the plant is concerned, this is admitted to have rather an un- 

 sightly appearance. The rationale of this mode of potting appears to be, 

 that it prevents the plant suifering from excess of water, as the ball at the 

 stem of the plant is so much above the level of the part next to the pot, 

 that the water, instead of finding its way into the centre of the ball, 

 passes down between it and the pot, where are all the roots that are capable 

 of absorbing it for the use of the plant ; the superabundant water passing 

 olf through the drainage. 



The balls of heaths, if in good health, do not require to be broken, as 

 is necessary with some other plants ; it is in general sufficient if the sides 



