MECHANICAL POWER IN POTTING PLANTS. 
375 
with which the outer surface of this mass of 
earth should be more or less enveloped. In 
the case of small plants it is usual to invert 
the pot and plant, to slip the stem of the 
latter between the fingers, allowing the ball 
of earth when liberated from the pot to rest 
on the hand ; it can then be taken in both 
hands, and moved about as may be required. 
Up to a certain point this is convenient 
enough, but when the lump of earth and 
roots is large and heavy, the difficulty refer- 
red to begins to be felt. 
As a remedy for this, in connexion with 
other points requiring some improvement, 
the West Kent garden pot, described and 
figured at p. 229, was designed, and it is now 
manufactured for sale. Mr. Saul, of Garstang, 
has varied, and to some extent improved this 
design, at least so far as relates to its mode 
of application. "What Mr. Saul proposes will 
be understood by the following engraving and 
^KrnL Jf^ag 
REFERENCE. 
". Soil and roots. 
/>. t?lower-pot. 
c. Aperture in potting bench, through which the perpen- 
dicular part of the lever passes. 
tt. Springs. 
<■. Thumb screws. 
/. Horizontal part of the lever, the foot being applied at i. 
</. Top of the upright part of the lever. 
It. Potting bench. 
k. Artificial bottom of flower-pot. 
description, for which we are indebted to the 
United Gardener's and Land Steward?* 
Journal. It should be premised that Mr. 
Saul had some years ago designed a pot, 
which he describes as being in some respects 
similar to that contrived by Mr. Fry. Speak- 
ing of this, he says, — 
"1 have still further improved my flower 
pot, by the application of mechanical power. 
The accompanying sketch will show in what 
this consists. I have a rim made at the 
bottom of the pot on the outside ; on the 
potting bench I have placed two sliding 
springs, under the ends of which the project- 
ing part of the bottom of the pot is easily ad- 
justed ; and the springs are then fixed by 
thumb-screws placed beneath the bench. The 
pot is thus held quite firmly, w r hile by means 
of the lever, the plant is raised out of the pot. 
The lever being worked by the foot, both 
hands are of course at liberty to take hold of 
and secure the plant, with its mass of earth 
and roots. This is a great advantage in prac- 
tice. The springs are easily moved to suit 
pots of any size, by means of the thumb- 
screws. This differs from anything I have 
s jen published, and is simple and easy of appli- 
cation. By a slight inspection of the figure, 
I think it will be clearly understood by all." 
In removing very large plants from one 
pot to another, the advantage of having both 
hands at liberty, while the iever worked by 
the foot moves the mass of earth, is consider- 
able, and it is also so obvious as to require 
merely pointing out. The only difference of 
importance between this pot and the West 
Kent pot, consists in the greater thickness of 
the lower rim in the former, which is pro- 
vided to give increased power to the springs 
by which the pot is held against the lever. 
These two contrivances are not only useful 
as regards potting plants; it often happens, 
that with large plants in pots — those espe- 
cially which have fine hair-like roots, and are 
planted in peat soil, such as heaths — it is very 
difficult to ascertain whether they actually 
require water ; and a very great number of 
plants die in consequence of drought, while 
to all appearance — judging from the surface 
of the soil — the roots are moist enough. In 
fact, this extreme drought, which is often 
unsuspected, proves fatal to the life of most 
plants in pots, and destructive of the vigour 
and beauty of all. It is, therefore, of the 
utmost importance in the culture' of plants, 
to prevent the soil from getting dry: it is 
also important to prevent its (jetting too wet, 
but this is not so likely to be unobserved as 
the other. Now it is in affording means for 
examining the soil with facility, in order to 
prevent this state of things, that much of the 
merit of both these contrivances consists ; 
and here again — especially in the case of the 
larger subjects — increased facility attaches to 
Mr. Saul's plan. 
We therefore feel no hesitation in recom- 
mending amateurs to have their potting 
