THE FLORIST. 
13 
potted finally about the 1st of February. A 7-inch pot will be the 
most proper and useful size ; but as some grow much more vigor¬ 
ously than others, a size larger or a size smaller may be used, ac¬ 
cording to the habit of the plant; but the principal part should be 
in a 7-inch size. As pot culture is becoming every season more 
general, and is by far the best and most certain mode of obtaining 
early bloom, we shall give full directions under this head. 
The soil should be turfy loam, well decomposed, mixed with 
rotten stable-manure and leaf-mould. To half a barrowful of each 
of the latter, with two and a half barrows of loam, add coarse sand 
or grit from the washing of a stream, in quantity according to the 
nature of the loam. This compost should be well mixed during the 
summer, and occasionally turned over, looking for wireworm, &c. 
We must suppose that in the first week in October a selection 
had been made from the beds of young plants of such as are intended 
for blooming in pots, which should be short and healthy; that they 
were potted in small pots, in soil above described; and that they 
were placed where they had protection from heavy rains. We must 
also suppose that the remainder of the soil has been preserved for 
the final repotting, and been well frosted in the interval, and kept in 
a tolerably dry state. Now this will obviate the necessity of shaking 
the mould from the roots; which plan would be preferable to making 
use of soil differing from that which the plants had original^ grown 
in. A part of the soil should be sifted ; and that which will not 
pass through the sieve mix with as much rotten manure, and place 
a little of the latter on the drainage, which should be good. The 
pot should then be filled sufficiently to receive the plant. 
When repotting, remove the top part and exterior of the ball of 
earth from the plants, which has generally become sour ; and shake 
them down firmly by striking the pot on the bench ; but they are 
not to be pressed so hard by the hand as when potting Carnations. 
Finish with the fine sifted mould on the top : this will secure perfect 
drainage, and give the pots a much neater appearance. Water 
sparingly for a fortnight or three weeks, and then only when the 
weather is mild. Give all the air possible, as before, and keep the 
plants close to the glass. Turn the plants round occasionally; in 
fact, do every thing that will help to keep them dwarf, and of a 
dark-green colour. Fumigate if greenfly appears on the plants, 
which will not be the case should the weather be such that the 
lights can often be drawn quite back. The surface of the soil will 
require scratching over as often as it has become hard from watering. 
Top-dress the pots with rotten manure, mixed with a little loam, 
about the last week in 
MARCH. 
This is often a trying month for Pansies. March winds, accom¬ 
panied with frost, frequently destroy more plants than the rest of 
winter. Therefore at this time we counsel protection in severe 
weather. We by no means recommend such covering as would 
make them tender, and cause them to start into growth out of sea- 
