THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, April 21, 1857. 
35 
seed, and then a layer of green moss or chopped straw, 
with a covering of the roughest of the compost. The moss 
is most valuable as a moisture equaliser, and it, or the 
• straw, will keep the soil from clogging up the drainage. A 
little of the rough soil thrown over the rough compost, and 
your pot is ready for the 
C. Repotting or Shifting of the Plant.— Yes, but then 
tjie plant itself may not be ready. In a similar dilemma I 
even npw'think I see a bright-eyed girl pounce upon four 
•pots out of the twelve, set them aside, water them, and 
allow them to.drain whilst we together attended to the other 
eight. She knew, for reasons previously alluded to, that no 
plant should be transferred to a larger pot whilst its ball of 
earth was dry, as no more common watering would ever 
moisten if afterwards. A due degree of moisture secured, 
the next point is to see, in general cases, that the plant 
stands no deeper in the soil of the new pot than it did in 
the old one. As a general rule pots ranging from three 
to six inches are large enough for windows, unless when we 
wish a specimen, as a Fuchsia, to fill the whole window; 
but oven then such a plant would be better in the verandah 
or balcony. Small shifty should therefore be the rule, 
increasing the size of the pot from an inch to an inch and a 
half in diameter. 
Another matter of great importance must also be attended to 
in potting, namely, placing the fresh earth not so firmly when 
rapid growth is the object. Pack it rather firmly when you 
wash to stimulate flowering. As a sort of guide we will cite 
a few examples that are likely to occur at this time of the year, 
which will show how our treatment should vary according to 
circumstances. 
Here is a very nice Geranium plant, a cutting of last sum¬ 
mer, in a 31-inch pot, crammed with roots, and wanting 
watering very often to keep it right. Prepare a five-inch 
pot; take hold of the pot with the plant in it; spread the 
fingers of the left hand over the surface of the soil; with 
the other hand turn the pot topsy-turvy; strike the rim of 
the side of the pot farthest from you on the edge of whatever 
you use for a potting bench, and instantly the bottom of the 
hall, with its drainage, is looking up in your face, and you 
remove the larger pieces of drainage, leaving the smaller j 
alone, and, quick as thought, reverse your plant again, and 
place it in the new pot, after you have disentangled the 
fibres along the side of the ball with your fingers or a small 
stick, so that they may easily enter the new soil. If the 
hall is at all likely to break, hold it by one side, and apply a 
fiat, blunt piece of wood to the other, this piece of wood, 
like a spatula, also being necessary for firming the soil at 
the sides if the fingers cannot get down, but should not be 
used if it can be avoided if there is any risk of touching 
the roots with it. It is better to give a few knocks with the 
bottom of the pot on the potting board, and to firm mode¬ 
rately with the fingers at the surface. Watered so that the 
outside fibres do not suffer, and shaded for a few days in 
bright sunshine, growth will then proceed rapidly, and there 
will be more strength to bring strong trusses of bloom. 
But here is another plant of the same age, the leaves 
becoming yellow, and the soil lumpy, and wet, and sour, from 
the drainage being defective, if ever it was right. It would 
waste the patience of Job ‘to make that plant right in that | 
soil. Turn it out in a similar way. Yon observe there are 
only a few roots, and if you attempt to remove the clogged 
j soil, away the roots go with them ; and this you do not like, 
as it is a keepsake from one who might judge of you by the 
appearance of the plant. Keep the ball, then, in your hand, 
but reverse it, so that in both hands you can hold it in a 
pail of Avater, and agitate it gently there until every particle 
of soil is gone, and nothing remains but the roots. Repot ’ 
again into a smaller-sized pot if possible, with a good portion 
of sand in the soil. Shade from sun, and givo little water 
at the roots until they are growing freely, preferring to 
moisten the leaves. 
Here, again, is a favourite Myrtle getting stunted, but it 
must not have a larger pot. Disentangle the roots with a 
pointed stick, and shake away a portion of the soil, or get rid 
of most of it in water, and pack new soil among the roots , 
•again in the same sized pot. Here are Fuchsias that have 
been kept in a loft; the buds are just breaking, the roots 
are very dry, but the plants must not be much larger, though 
it is desirable they should be very healthy and flower-bearing. 
Watering and top dressing the old pots ami using liquid 
manure might do very well, but I should prefer shaking off 
as much of the old soil as would come, washing most of 
the rest away in a pail of water, allowing the roots to drain, 
and then packing them, after a slight pruning, if there was 
anything the matter, among fresh soil in a similar. sized 
pot. 
But here is a nice little plant, a cutting of last autumn 
and a grand sort, kept slowly growing in a small pot all the 
winter in the window, and that pot is full of fine healthy 
roots. It should he treated exactly as mentioned for the 
young, healthy Geranium. R. Fish. 
{To be continued.) 
THE CARNATION AND PICOTEE. 
(Continued from page 29.) 
TWELVE NEW CARNATIONS AND PIC0TEES. 
1. Capt. Thompson (Puxley).—This eminent raiser 
was very successful last year in producing new varie¬ 
ties. Capt. Thompson is a scarlet bizarre Carnation, of 
fine form, distinct colour, and good stout petal. 
2. Omar Pacha (Puxley) belongs to the same class as 
the last, the scarlet colour preponderating; very excel¬ 
lent. 
3. Earl Stamford (Elliott).—A purple-flake Carnation, 
much improved, well worthy of cultivation, fine petal 
and substance. 
4. Regulator. —Belongs to the purple-flake class, but 
very distinct; clear white ground and fine form. 
5. Defiance (Puxley).—Very fine scarlet-flake Carna¬ 
tion; a decided improvement on the class; has taken 
several prizes; extra fine. 
6. Lord Belper (Turner).—I do think this will beat 
the hitherto unconquerable Floras Garland. It is a 
clear rose-flake Carnation; good form; a decided hit. 
PICOTEES. 
7. Eugenie (Turner).—A large-bloomed, light red¬ 
odged Picotee ; exjtra fine form ; well up in the ccntro. 
8. Mrs. Lochner (Turner).—A heavy red-edged bloom 
of great substance ; bright and distinct. 
9. Mrs. Hobbs (Turner).—A Picotee with a light red 
edge, large bloom, good form and substance. 
10. National (Ki'ntland).—A light-edged Picotee, full, 
without bar, delicately fine in the edge, smooth and fine 
in habit. 
11. Mrs. Turner (Dodwell).—A light rose-edged Pico- 
tee, full size, large petaled, good form and substance. 
12. Sultana (Turner).—The edge of this fine Picotee 
is what florists term intermediate, that is, between a 
light edge and a heavy edge; colour bright red on a 
clear white ground; large bloom and smooth petal. 
(From 7 s. (id. to 10s. Qd. per pair.) 
NINE GOOD OLDER VARIETIES OF CARNATIONS. 
1. Silistria (Puxley).—Scarlet bizarre. 
2. General Simpson (Puxley).— Crimson bizarre. 
3. Hope (Puxley).— Crimson, finely marked. 
4. Major Teesdale (Puxley).— Crimson, extra large. 
5. Beauty of Woodhouse (Mansby).—Purple flake. 
0. Exit (May).—Scarlet flake, extra fine. 
7. Victoria Regina (Headley).—Scarlet; a large flower, 
with bright stripes. 
8. Floras Garland (Brooks).—Rose flako; a good old 
variety. 
9. King John (May).—Rose ; extra fine. 
(3s. 6 d. eaeh pair.) 
NINE GOOD OLDER VARIETIES OF PICOTEES. 
]. Dr. Pitman (Turner).—Heavy red edge, pure white, 
without spot. 
2. Mrs. Dodwell (Turner).—Heavy red edge, with 
