152 
used, and the leaf-mould should be entirely of rotten leaves with 
out any admixture of grass or other rubbish. Now with these 
materials a. mixture can be made to suit almost any of the plant 
(except Orchids) found inordinary collections. The proportions 
will require to be varied for different plants, but a good mixture 
which may be termed the “stock” heap, and which will do well 
enough for a great number of things without any variation, is 
about equal parts of the leaf-mould, loam, and manure, with a 
sprinkling of sand, unless the loam is naturally sandy, in which 
case it may be omitted altogether. On the other hand, if the 
loam is stiff or clayey add a liberal quantity of sand. Also if the 
loam is naturally rich reduce the quantity of manure. Mix 
these well together by turning the heap over several times and it 
is ready for use. A good plan and one I always practise mysei 
is to keep a heap of this ‘ ‘stock ’ ’ on hand ready for use and tc 
use it without any addition for ordinary purposes, but adding tc 
it in the case of delicate plants, or where experience has shm T * 
the addition to be beneficial, more leaf-mould, loam, sand, cl 
coal, &c. Further instructions on this point will be given wh 
we come to deal with a few of the more important classes 
decorative plants. 
Pots and Potting. 
Pots that have already been used once should be washed n 
side and out and dried, before being used again. If this is,n 
done there is often a difficulty in turning the plant out when 
becomes necessary to transfer it to a larger pot without distu 
ing the roots as they will be found to have stuck to the sides 
A sufficient amount of drainage material should always 
placed in the bottom of the pot to ensure the free escape of watt 
Pieces of broken pots are best, but broken bricks or tiles will ■ 
if these are not on hand. The largest pieces should be at t 
bottom and a concave piece directly over the whole to preve 
its getting blocked up. Drainage ife a most important math - 
especially so in this country where the rains are at times excep- 
tionally heavy and the native gardener without much judgment 
in the matter of watering. 
The sizes of pots are reckoned in inches, the depth and breadth 
being approximately the same. A three-inch pot, which is 
about the smallest size ordinarily used, will require from half to 
three-quarters of an inch of drainage and a twelve-inch not less 
than two, In the case of delicate or valuable plants I should 
generally use more than this. On the top of the drainage mate- 
rial and before putting in any soil place a little rough peat, clean 
moss, or half decayed leaves, to prevent the finer soil getting 
down among the drainage and obstructing the free escape of 
water. Look carefully at the plant to be potted and choose a 
pot that is neither too big nor too small and in doing this be 
guided more by the roots than the leaves. Never put a plant wi th 
but few roots into a large pot as it is better to begin with a small 
one and transfer into a larger when that becomes moderately 
