132 
THE FLORIST’S JOURNAL. 
crocks, or clinging to the sides of the pot, on account of their 
property of absorption. It has been proved, by experience, that 
plants which required a length of time, by the old system, to 
form large specimens — for instance, Heaths and Epacrises — 
have not failed in acquiring the required growth in a much 
shorter time by the use of large pots. 
It has been said, that plants of a more delicate structure have 
been lost by adopting that plan as a mode of culture ; but have 
not many been lost otherwise ? It appears to me that the 
nicest care is required in the watering, which should be intrusted 
only to one person. Again, the regulating of such must depend 
on the nature of your soil: the localities too, in which plants are 
growing, are either the promoters or retarders of their growth ; 
it cannot be expected that plants will thrive so well where the 
air is rendered impure by the mixing of various gases, or in con¬ 
fined places or damp seasons, so as to prevent a free current of 
air passing through them, and thus causing the pots to become 
encrusted with impure matter, not readily admitting of absorp¬ 
tion, for plants will ever depend for their success on the in¬ 
fluence of their situation, combined with skill. It is evident, on 
reflection, that where the roots have not sufficient space to per¬ 
form freely their respective offices, that in order to supply the 
deficiency, other organs will become enlarged, so as to weaken 
the plant, though for a time it may not be visible, such as 
throwing out a greater number of leaves, in order to provide a 
remedy by absorption. 
That we may work opposite to the laws of nature, and thus 
produce distortion, and even an alteration of the structure of a 
plant, is unfortunately too often proved, and a confirmation of it 
came under my own notice during the past season. Having some 
plants of Deutzia scabra which had been forced, I was induced 
to examine the under side of the leaves by a microscope, in order 
to observe the beautiful phenomena they usually present, when 
both leaves and flowers were found distorted from their proper 
and natural characters, evidently the result of the unnatural 
treatment they had experienced in the course of forcing, for the 
leaves of other plants growing in the open ground were in pos¬ 
session of their proper characters. The relation between this 
distorted vegetation and the action of the spongioles in their 
then altered state, as effected by the change of treatment, T 
propose to reserve for another communication. 
J. F. M‘Elroy. 
