812 
THE CULTIVATOR 
Oct. 
€ltf /Intntr fnriirn. 
SIZE OF POTS FOR HOUSE PLANTS. 
We often observe fine specimens of house-plants 
stunted and kept from a free growth, solely in conse¬ 
quence of being confined in small pot§. The roots 
reach the sides of the pots beyond which they cannot 
extend, and running round through the soil gradually 
form a close ball of matted roots very unfavorable to 
the health and vigor of the plant. The remedy con- 
sists_in giving them more space ; and to render the 
operation clear and intelligible, we give the above fig¬ 
ure representing the appearance of the plant when 
removed to a larger pot, and the proper manner of 
filling it, where a represents an oyster shell or piece of 
crockery laid over the hole at the bottom; b, the 
draining materials, which may be broken brick, frag¬ 
ments of crockery, &c.; c, a layer of,turf and the rough¬ 
er portions of the soli, to facilitate drainage ; and d 
the fresh soil, into which the roots are about to extend. 
Some judgment is required in adjusting the size of 
the pots to the wants of the growing plants. They 
should not be too large, so as to appear unsightly from 
the disproportion between them and the plants. They 
should not be so small as to require too frequent a 
change, to prevent crowding among the roots. 
S UMMER FLO WERS—GLAJDIOL US. 
The genus Gladiolus, orsword lily, sometimes called 
corn-flag, furnishes some very beautiful ornamental 
plants. The common purple or Gladiolus communis, is 
one of our finest hardy plants. Newer, rarer,and still 
more ornamental and showy, are the two species re¬ 
presented in the accompanying figures,—the jioribun- 
dus and gandivensis. 
The Gladiolus ploribundus, or many flowered 
sword lily, is remarkable for the exceedingly beauti- 
stripe on each petal. The flowers are large and spread¬ 
ing, double the diameter represented in the engraving. 
The leaves are long, broad and sword-shaped. It is a 
native of South America, and the bulbs are tender, 
requiring taking up from the open ground on the ap¬ 
proach of winter, as one touch of frost will destroy 
them. They should be washed clean and kept dry till 
spring. Two feet of straw, chaff, or leaves, or enough 
to keep the ground from freezing, will obviate the ne¬ 
cessity of taking up the roots. 
The Gladiolus gandivensis, or Ghent sword lily, 
a hybrid, is without the enchanting delicaoy of the 
preceding, but is a very showy flower, of large size 
having a fine rich orange scarlet color, relieved with 
yellow. It is three feet high, and blooms through the 
latter half of summer. 
