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to find that in a climate like ours, and with the style of archh 
tecture adopted, no home is considered complete without plants 
of some sort in pots, both indoors and out. 
For the present purpose, we may divide pot plants into two 
groups — those grown for their foliage, and those grown for their 
dowers. As a rule the former are much easier to grow than the 
latter and consequently in many gardens flowering plants are 
comparatively scarce. One important reason for this is that as 
a rule all pot plants are grown either under trees, on the veran- 
dah, or in a shed especially constructed for the purpose ; but in 
each case the result is the same, an insufficiency of sun for most 
flowering plants. It may be taken as a general rule, to which 
here are, however, exceptions, that flowering plants require sun 
md foliage plant more or less shade. 
To attain the highest possible point of cultivation, probably 
lardly any two kinds of plant require exactly the same treatment 
\i every particular, but in this paper it is not intended to enter 
o the niceties of treatment required by individual plant, or 
en classes, but rather to give some information of an element- 
y nature for the benefit of those interested but whose expe- 
ence is limited. 
Let me say at starting that there is no more a royal road to 
lccess in plant growing than in anything else, and the main 
quirements are patience and perseverance. Any one who 
kes sufficient interest in the subject and the necessary trouble 
pretty sure to succeed, not with every kind of plant attempted, 
t at least with a sufficient number to make gardening a real 
-asure. 
Preparation of Soil. 
The composition and nature of the soil in which pot plants are 
own is of great importance, and one over which we have more 
ntrol than in the case of other important factors, such as rain- 
tall and temperature, but the majority of amateur gardeners pay 
insufficient attention to it. Different kinds of plants require 
different soilsand although we cannot obtain such things as good 
fibrous peat, turfy loam, silver sand, &c., as recommended in 
English gardening books, sufficiently good substitutes can be 
m anufactured with a little trouble and forethought. Every one 
desirous of growing plants should always have on hand, more or 
less in accordance with the requirements of the garden, a supply 
of leaf-mould ; the best soil obtainable in the neighbourhood, 
which we call loam ; mortar- rubbish, and river sand. 
The general practice in most gardens here is to carefully sweep 
up all leaves as they fall and as carefully burn them. A great 
mistake. All leaves collected should be thrown to a heap by 
dicmselves as far removed from the roots of trees as possible, or 
better still in a brick pit, and there left to decay, turning them 
over occasionally to hasten the process. It is ready for use when 
it will pass freely through a one-inch sieve and the manure should 
be in an equally decayed state. Fresh manure should never be 
