Mar.] 



THE FORCING GARDEN. 



685 



be examined, and all that require shifting should be selected 

 and turned out of the pots, carefully placing one hand^level 

 with the surface of the mould in the pots, with the stem of 

 the plant between the fingers, while with the other hand 

 take the pot by the bottom, and invert it, striking the margin 

 of the pot upon the edge of the potting-bench, so as to shake 

 out the ball entire. The balls that are much exhausted at 

 this time, should be carefully broken, and the roots singled 

 out, and such as are decayed cut off, as well as some of the 

 less strong and unhealthy roots ; the decayed leaves round the 

 stem should also be displaced, which will encourage the plants 

 to push out fresh roots near the surface of the pot. The sizes 

 of the pots used must be entirely regulated by the size and 

 strength of the plants ; for it is an erroneous notion that they 

 should be shifted into pots bearing any proportion to those out 

 of which they were taken. All strong growing healthy plants 

 should be placed in pots of larger size, and such as are weak, 

 ill-rooted, or sickly, should be put into pots of the same size as 

 those from which they were taken, and, in some cases, in pots 

 much less. The smaller the pots into which weak plants are 

 put, the more likely are they to become strong. Fresh pots should < 

 be used for the plants which are shifted ; and by no means use 

 such as have been recently emptied, until they have lain for some 

 time to sweeten. The pots should also be dry, and have (if 

 not new) been previously cleaned. In potting plants of any 

 kind, avoid using pots too large, for it is much better to shift 

 the plants again in a month or six weeks, than to over-pot 

 them at once. In draining the pots, use oyster-shells, if they 

 can be conveniently procured : place one of them on the bot- 

 tom of each pot, over the hole, with the concave side under- 

 most; they will prevent the entrance of v/orms, which often 

 become troublesome to pine-plants, particularly when the bed 

 in which they are plunged becomes too far exhausted. Over 

 the oystcr-shcll place an inch of broken pieces of pots, or 

 brick-bats broken small, and over this place aa inch of half- 

 rotten turf from the surface of some rich down, or sheep-walk ; 

 the broken tiles or brick-bats will act as a drain, to admit of 

 the escape of any superfluous moisture ; and being themselves 

 of an ibsorbcnt nature, they will imbibe a share of moisture, 



