WINDOW GARDENINO. 32 
be rich loam, sand, and thoroughly decayed cow manure. This should be mixed 
in the proportion of one half of the loara to one quarter each of the sand and ma- 
nure. Leaf naould is also another grand material which every plant loves to grow 
in, and it will pay to secure a good quantity of it. The older and more decom 
posed the manure and leaf mould, the better they are, and every plant grower 
should keep a well prepared compost heap for his plants. A good compost, 
when all the material is handy, is composed of one fourth of the above elements 
of leaf mould, sand, loam and manure. To those who live in cities and can not 
get this conveniently, it is best either to buy your plants already potted, or go 
to a good florist and buy a good quantity of right compost; he can usually supply 
it at cheaper rate than it can be purchased anywhere else. 
Keep this heap well filled, and no one must fail to bear in mind that the soil of 
every one of his pots needs changing and replenishing, or else it becomes ex- 
hausted, and the plants dwindle and languish for needed food. 
Garden loam is often used by those in the country and found to answer, 
but if it should contain any cla}'', a little sand must be added. The sand itself 
is oi no fertilizing efifect, but is valuable in assisting the aeration of the soil 
and helping the drainage. Well rotten turf is another handy and valuable mate 
rial, containing considerable quantity of vegetable mould. If used, put the 
coarser pieces at the bottom along with some pebbles or broken pieces of crockery, 
then fill in the finer mould to about half an inch from the surface. The soil must 
not be allowed to cake up, but be occasionally stirred up deep, so that air may 
have accesji to the roots 
Leaf mould is more highly prized by gardeners than anything else that can 
be procured. Every autumn the leaves are gathered in heaps, wheeled by the 
barrow load to a good location, and there left exposed to the rain and the action 
of the weather for sometimes two or three years. Here it decomposes and 
becomes rotten. Then it is mixed with good turf mould, also left to rot for a 
year or two, and finally chopped up; then add the sand, decomposed manure and 
some peat well minced to small pieces. This is considered the very best mate- 
rial for pots, or borders in green-houses or conservatories. A good pile of it is 
always maintained. It is rather an advantage than otherwise to have a few 
lumps in each pot ; they prevent the soil from becoming too solid. 
A compost for Camellias, Roses, Geraniums, &c., should be one part rivej 
sand, one part leaf mould, two parts turf or garden mould. For Cacti, us( 
two parts coarse sand, three parts leaf and turf mould, one part peat, and a lit 
tie broken plaster. 
For Azaleas, Ericas, and most New Holland plants, take four parts peat 
two parts sand, one part garden or turf mould, one part leaf mould. 
Soil for bulbous roots should be light ; place them in the centre of the pots 
about half imbedded in the light earth, then cover them with leaf or fine turf 
mould. 
For drainage purposes, put in the bottom of each pot either a layer of pow 
dered charcoal, or small broken pieces of biick or old mortar t^ the depth of a 
