98 
were tom off. Sometimes the operation of the 
knife is not necessary, and yet the offsets can- 
not be so weli separated without taking the old 
plant out of the pot ; w hen this happens, and 
you have slipt off the offsets, trim the fibres ot 
the old plant, and replace it again into its pot ; 
if this can be done without disturbing many of 
the roots, the old plant may blow the stronger 
for it. If there is not above an offset or two, 
and you w’^ant a strong bloom from the mother- 
plant, take them off without removing the old 
plant ; if this be not practicable, let it remain 
till the plant has done blowdng, it will then 
be time enough to remove the offsets. Plant 
the offsets, immediately on taking them off, on 
the side of pots called (about London) upright 
p3i*ty-eights j they are about four or five inches 
over at the top, three inches and a half at the 
bottom, and four or five inches deep ; these pots 
should be made taper from the top to the 
bottom, so that the plants may easily slip out, 
with all the earth round them j the inside 
should be made with a descent from the sides 
to the centre, where there should be a hole, not 
of less size than a halfpenny, by which means 
the wet will drain itself off, which is very re- 
quisite, after having too much rain or water- 
ings j a hollow oyster shell should be placed on 
