688 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Mar, 



out, tied, and examined according to tlie preceding directions, 

 such as require to be shifted shoukl be done in the same way, 

 and placed in pots corresponding in size to their respective 

 sizes and growths ; observing not to pot them in too large 

 pots, but rather to calculate upon again shifting them in April 

 or May. Indeed, no such thing as a regular and inchscrimi- 

 nate shifting should take place at any time ; for circumstances 

 occur so often in the habits and constitutions of plants, that 

 to attempt to sh.ift them at stated periods, and into certain 

 sized pots, only defeats the object in view. All plants should 

 be provided with larger pots and more nourishment just as 

 they stand in need of it. It is often of nuich advantage to 

 plants to be taken out of the pot in which they grow, and re- 

 placed into one of the same size, and not unfrequcntly into 

 one of lesser size. The size of the pots must always be left 

 to the good sense of the cultivator. It is, however, of more 

 injury to them to be over than under-potted. In large pots, 

 plants become cloyed with too much nourishment ; and as the 

 plant, by its absorbent organs, is unable to extract all the 

 nourishment contained in a large pot, it soon stagnates and 

 becomes sour by being kept too damp, particularly when 

 plunged ; as in that state the superfluous water is prevented 

 from passing off through the sides of the pot, which would 

 not be so sensibly the case, if the pot stood exposed on all 

 sides. It is a well-known fact to cultivators, that all plants 

 strike roots most readily when placed next the sides of the 

 pots in which they are planted ; and many plants, that cannot 

 be induced by almost any other means to strike root, will 

 emit them by cuttings, when the base of such cuttings rests 

 upon the bottom of the pots, without the least particle of 

 mould intervening. In order, tiiercfore, to procure healthy 

 rapid growing plants, which is tlie ambition of every pine 

 cultivator, it is necessary to induce them to multiply their 

 roots, and no method appears so rational as growing them in 

 small pots ; and as they advance in growth, continue to shift 

 them into larg(er, taking care not to injure the roots in the 

 operation, but to continue them in a growing state. The 

 plants being shifted,, according to their several necessities, they 

 are then to be re-plunged in the same manner as directed for 



