350 
DOMESTIC GARDENING. 
most plants. Opinions are divided as to the 
particular period of the day at which watering 
should be performed ; during the winter, and 
in the spring, it is generally allowed to be 
best applied in the early part of the day ; and 
we may here add, that very much is gained at 
this latter season, by applying it of a tem- 
perature somewhat elevated above that of the 
atmosphere : during summer, we believe that, 
excepting only those periods when bright 
sunlight is beaming on the plants, any portion 
of the day is equally appropriate ; and that 
particular period which would secure its 
application before the pi-eviously applied 
moisture becomes thoroughly evaporated, is, 
of all others, the most desirable. Soft water 
only should be made use of. 
Potting. — The manner in which this ope- 
ration is performed has considerable influence 
on the state of the soil, both with reference to 
the quantity of water necessary to be applied 
to it, as well as on the preservation of that 
equable state of moisture which it is desirable 
to maintain. Such being the case, it will be 
evident that much of the success of growing 
plants depends upon its proper execution. 
The principal requisites are, pots of suitable 
sizes, proper materials for drainage, and com- 
post adapted to the nature and wants of the 
plants operated on. These all being in readi- 
ness, to proceed, take a pot, place a large 
piece of broken potsherd over the hole in the 
bottom, with its convex side downwards, and 
on this, add a layer of broken pots, bricks, or 
any similar porous substance, varying from 
half an inch to two inches in thickness, ac- 
cording to the size of the pot and the natural 
constitution of the plant ; on this, place a 
handful or two of the roughest turfy or lumpy 
pieces of the soil or compost, (which should 
not have been sifted, but reduced by the 
hand to about the size of pigeons' eggs); and 
adding as much of the soil as will allow the 
plant to stand with the top of its attached 
mass of earth just below the level of the rim 
of the new pot, it will be ready for the re- 
ception of its new inhabitant. The prepara- 
tion of the plant should next be attended to, 
by gently inverting its pot in the hand, and 
giving the edge of the latter a gentle tap on the 
potting-benchjSoastoremoveitwithoutdisturb- 
ing the roots, and holding the plant firmly in 
the hand in this position, displace the drainage 
which had before been used, and gently dis- 
engage the tips of the roots around the sides ; 
then set it firmly in the new pot, and fill 
about it with the compost, pressing it in 
firmly about the old mass of soil, and between 
it and the sides of the pot ; the surface must 
be finished off evenly, leaving the base of the 
stem about level with the rim, and the soil 
near the rim from a quarter of an inch to half 
an inch below it, according to the size of the 
pot. It is important that the soil should be 
sufficiently dry when used to bear compression 
without becoming adhesive. 
It was once usual to repot a whole collection 
of plants at one time ; but this routine method 
cannot be recommended, and is in great mea- 
sure discontinued. The proper time for repot- 
ting is just when each plant has filled the soil 
about it with its roots, and just extracted from 
it the nourishment it contained, without having 
been left so as to have "become exhausted, or 
for the roots to have become matted together 
and entangled ; at any time, when this state 
is arrived at, (except late in the autumn, or 
in mid-winter), the plants should be repotted. 
As a general rule for plants in these situ- 
ations, where space is limited, the increase in 
the size of the pots should not be too rapid ; 
the smaller sizes may be increased one size at 
each shifting, and larger ones ma}' be increased 
by two sizes at each shifting ; this will afford 
space for gradual and permanent progression, 
although it will not secure the same rapid 
growth which would result from the adoption 
of larger pots. Free-growing plants, such as 
Fuchsias, Geraniums, &c. will require much 
more frequent shiftings than hard-wooded 
plants, such as Heaths and Epacrises ; an 
annual renewal, or in some few cases, twice in 
that period, will be abundantly sufficient for 
these latter, while the former would probably 
need the same attention every month through- 
out the growing season. 
Heat. — There will be no difficulty in main- 
taining a sufficient degree of heat for all the 
plants we shall recommend, and many more, 
except during the winter, and then the appli- 
cation of artificial heat will only be requisite 
in the case of severe frosts. It cannot be too 
strongly urged, that the least degree of arti- 
ficial heat which will exclude frost, is suf- 
ficient for plants cultivated in green-houses ; a 
greater degree than this only enervates them, 
and weakening their constitutional vigour, 
lessens their capacity to produce a continuance 
of bloom and of healthy development in 
the growing season. We have no doubt, 
that one of the easiest means of applying 
heat, would be by connecting a hot-water pipe 
with some of the domestic furnaces in daily 
use ; where this could not be accomplished, 
an Arnott's, or a Vesta stove might be intro- 
duced ; but in either case, it would be most 
important to provide against even the risk of 
an immoderate degree of heat. A falling 
thermometer, already at 40° Fah., with a clear 
sky, and frosty air, will, in general, indicate 
when the apparatus is in requisition; although 
the uncertainty of experiencing a considerable 
declension of external temperature during the 
night, may render it sometimes expedient to 
