988 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



It is a very general complaint, that many conservatory plants 

 become too large, and while they deprive their more delicate 

 neighbours of all kinds of nourishment, they become them- 

 selves too luxuriant, and seldom are sufficiently prolific in 

 bloom to merit the space which they occupy. 



This is the case with the less valuable or more common 

 kinds ; to obviate which, it will be proper to have the roots of 

 all that are of rapid growth confined within the limits of a pot 

 or tub, and those which are of slow growth only planted out. 

 The confinement of their roots would answer two good pur- 

 poses ; namely, keeping them within proper bounds, and 

 inducing a greater disposition to produce flowers. Thus most 

 of the strong growing Acacias, Eucalyptus, Metrosideros, 

 &c., would be kept within due bounds, while the less rapid 

 growing Melaleuca, Banksia, Dryandria, Daviesia, Pul- 

 tencea, Poly gala, &c., if planted out, would keep pace with 

 them, and not be liable to be overrun. In offering this pro- 

 position, we are aware that some will object to it, on the very 

 just principle, that many valuable plants, without which a 

 first-rate conservatory cannot be considered as complete, do 

 not prosper when plunged in the borders, as the roots are 

 liable to become saturated with excess of moisture, a constant 

 evaporation from the sides of the pots being prevented from 

 going on, and also that it is difficult to ascertain what 

 particular plants require water and what do not. To these 

 objections we answer, that the plants so treated are not in- 

 tended to remain long at one time in such a state, but to be 

 withdrawn occasionally, to make room for others that are 

 coming into flower ; or when they themselves are past flower- 

 ing, or appear to require being again placed on the shelves 

 of the green-house or auxiliary-house ; and as to the difficulty 

 of watering, it is but one of the very many that the cultivator 

 has to encounter, and one that none but a very superficial 

 gardener will reckon insurmountable. 



In whatever way the borders are arranged, as far as regards 

 the depth of soil, it is necessary that they be rendered dry at 

 bottom, according to the directions already given for this pur- 

 pose, supposing that proper drains have been made to conduct 

 any water that might accumulate under the border to a suf- 



