1030 



THE PRACTICAL GARDENER. 



[Mar. 



directed upon this subject can never be applied as a general 

 rule, to which there are so many exceptions. However, we 

 may infer that plants require water, not in exact proportion to 

 the season, but to the state of growth in which they are indi- 

 vidually, whether considered in the natural precocity of their 

 growth, or their state of health. Those plants, for the most 

 part, which are still in a dormant state, will require to be kept 

 nearly as dry as they have hitherto been during the winter, and 

 those which are in a sickly state may come under the same 

 head ; such, however, as are beginning to shoot forth should 

 have it administered to them less sparingly, and those which 

 are considerably advanced, or in full growth, should have 

 it in abundance. Watering over the head should, in most 

 cases, not yet be much indulged in ; but if found necessary, 

 from the situation of the house, or other causes, that is, if the 

 foliage becomes dirty or much covered with dust, a slight use 

 of the engine or syringe cannot be dispensed with ; but this 

 operation should be performed on a fine day, when an oppor- 

 tunity may occur of freely ventilating the house to dry up the 

 superabundant moisture ; and when such an operation appears 

 to be necessary, it may be well to suspend watering at the roots 

 for a few days previously. 



SHIFTING AND REPOTTING GREEN-HOUSE PLANTS. 



Many cultivators, who may be considered skilful in other re- 

 spects, practise what they call a general shifting or repotting 

 their green-house plants once, and many twice a-year. We 

 have, however, in another part of this work, reprobated the 

 idea of this mode of general shifting, as all plants do not grow 

 equally fast, as well as that all plants do not vegetate at the 

 same period. It would, therefore, be in unison with good 

 culture, never to attempt such processes generally, but indi- 

 vidually, for many plants only require to be repotted once 

 a-year, some not so often, but by far the greater number, 

 especially of young plants, will require this operation twice, 

 :hrice, or oftener, during the course of one season. It is, how- 

 ever, good practice to make a general survey of the collection 

 at this time, and having picked out sucli as appear to be in want 



