THE STOVE. 



.31 



as little as possible ; but, at the same time, reducing the ball, 

 so that the pot may contain as little of the old exhausted 

 mould as possible, which, having supplied the plant for some 

 time previously, cannot possibly contain any store of sus- 

 tenance for it in future ; and, if left undisturbed of any size, 

 prevents a sufficient quantity of new matter being put in the 

 pot for its future supply. Unless in the case of very deli- 

 cate species, or tender-rooted sorts, there is much less dan- 

 ger in entirely reducing the ball and cutting out the decayed 

 or broken roots, than there is evident injustice done them by 

 re-potting with the balls almost entire, and only adding from a 

 quarter of an inch to an inch of fresh mould round the roots, 

 which is all that the plant has to support it ; the interior of the 

 pot being filled with a hard ball of exhausted useless mould, in 

 which no root will hardly live, far less prosper. By the latter 

 method, plants of a large size may be well grown in compara- 

 tively small pots, as the whole body of mould is in a fresh state, 

 and, consequently, fitted for the purpose it is intended ; whereas, 

 by the former method, plants scarcely a foot in height we often 

 see occupying a pot nearly as much in diameter. Nothing 

 looks worse than small plants in large pots ; and, such is the 

 case, that such plants never prosper. 



REMOVING TROPICAL PLANTS OUT OF THE STOVE. 



A very common practice exists amongst cultivators to remove 

 a large portion of their stove plants into the green-house during 

 the warmer weeks of our summers. So far this is beneficial to 

 some of the plants, that it admits of them standing much thinner, 

 and, consequently, enjoying much more air and sun-shine. 

 But, in carrying this practice into execution, we would re- 

 commend that the hardier species be chosen to be thus set out. 

 Many of the delicate kinds, particularly those from the warmer 

 parts of the tropics, cannot be injured, but be much benefited 

 by all the heat that they can have, even in our stoves, during 

 summer ; and as air can be admitted, at least it should be ad- 

 mitted to them by opening the ventilators or sashes of the 

 house, they will thereby enjoy a sufficiency of that element 

 without removal at all. However, when the house is crowded, 



