i 
M 
peated turning; and exposure of their entire sm-face to the sun, on dry ground, or a hot gravel walk, 
previous to harvesting them. 
Finally, so far from the Potato Onion being, as many consider, strong-flavom'ed and worthless to 
cultivate in preference to some other Idnds, I have no hesitation in asserting that a luxuriant system 
of cultm'e will render it a milder esculent oven than the true Spanish ; whilst, on the other hand, its 
perfect hardiness, great productiveness, and natm'al tendency to ripen (when planted in autumn) 
more than two months earlier than any other sort, should induce it to be universally esteemed by 
gardeners as a most valuable acquisition. — T. 
DRAINAGE OF PLANTS GROWN IN POTS.* 
fHE general laws which regulate the vegetable economy are applicable alike to plants grown in the 
open gromid, and to those cultivated in pots : the vegetative principle is never changed or altered, 
cither in plants subjected to artificial treatment, or in those which may be said to occupy a more natu- 
ral i^osition. In accordance with this theory there is a trite saying, that plants, when grown m pots, 
should be ti'eated in all essential particulars like those grown m the open ground, or, in other words, 
that the gardener should do in a pot what the farmer practises in a field ; and since the system of 
drainage (called egouttement in French) effects astonishing results in agrioultui-e, it is not unreasonable 
to expect similar advantages fi-om its application to the pui'poses of horticultiu-e. But the operation of 
di-aining a pot reqmres to be performed with a perfect understanding as to the mode in which it is 
likely to have a beneficial efiect. When only a piece of a broken potsherd, or any other substance, is 
placed over the hole at the bottom of the pot which is being drained, the percolation and escape of 
sui^erabundaut moistui-e will, in all likelihood, be prevented by the pressm-e of the soil around itj the 
water will lodge at the bottom of the pot, and the roots of the plant vyill suffer, owing to the free 
cu'culation of aii' being impeded. It is, therefore, reasonable to infer that, besides the pxincipal crock 
that covers the hole, other, or additional, materials are necessary. In the fii'st place, the crock should be 
placed so that it does not '^ejiat over the hole; for, when lying positively flat, it is very apt to stop 
up the passage of the water. When the crook has been properly placed, it should be covered with a 
quantity of small pieces of brick, broken pots, angular stones of any kind, or similar materials ; above 
this suiierstructm-e, which may range fi'om an inch to two inches in depth, shoidd be placed a layer of 
the same kind of materials, broken considerably smaller, so that the soU, when placed in the pot, may 
not choke up the uiterstices of the under layer, or even fill them too much in being pressed or shaken 
down. It is now well known that pieces of bricks, from theii- porous textm'e, act in the manner of a 
sponge for the azote, which is so essential to the nomishment of plants. Such substances become, in 
fact, by then- physical action and chemical properties, an actual manui-e for plants. By means of 
them the soil in the pot is aerated, and the water passing rapidly off, the plant must, of consequence, 
be under the best condition to secvu-e its health. 
It may be readily conceived that if, in this mider layer of drainage materials, there was placed a 
physical body constituted so as to operate in a three-fold manner : to retain one of the elements of the 
air, the most useful to vegetation ; to allow the air to penetrate the mass of soil ; and to facihtate the 
proper passage of the water from the roots ; — and which, at the same time, by gradual decomjjosition, 
incessantly transmitted from below fresh nomishment to the roots — a substance possessing these 
advantages would certainly be the most suitable to be used in the cultivation of jilants in pots. Where 
great progress has been made in the cultivation of the soU, we see that not only is the ground traversed 
TOth drains and properly aerated, but it is also manured ■with substances which, by their gradual 
decomposition, minister to the daily requirements of the plants grown. Are similar results not 
attainable with plants cultivated in pots? We cannot hazard a negative reply to such a question. 
Some cultivators have adopted the system of draining the pots by means of broken or crushed bones, 
which having the same absorbing quahties as the pieces of brick, even in a higher degree, are stiU 
more susceptible of gradual decomposition, especially after they have been treated with sidphurio acid 
weakened by water. The bones thus throw ofl' or disengage a portion of ammoniacal gas, and fm-nish 
a quantity of sulphate and calcareous phosphate, all of which are essential to the nourishment of 
plants. Even for plants which admit only of being grown in peat, the beneficial effects of broken 
bones as drainage have been fully proved to be considerable and decided. 
* Translated from the Annales de la Socicte HoyaJe Sotatiiqvc, ^-c, de Gand. 
