The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-08-09
HORTICULTURE.
POT PLANTS.

The pot culture of ornamental plants
annually increases, and is especially in
vogue with ladies. As an elevating
and refining recreation, and as health
full exercise it deserves encouragement
But the danger that the fine taste may
generate into a passion, which will con-
sumo too much precious time, must be
conscientiously guarded against, in
order to high and pure enjoyment
There is SO much of art about pot
culture that we rarely see plant grown
as it should be-a thing of joy and
beauty. A few well grown specimens
afford far more pleasure than crowd
that cannot have proper room and care
A potted plant is not in its natural
condition. With roots crowded and
cramped, it is in situation quite I'M
favorable to full and free development
This is manifest when we compare
plants in pots with others of the same
kinds whose roots range for food at
pleasure in the open ground and nour-
ish the finest display Of branches, foliage
and flowers.
Yet many reasons demand that our
special "pets" remain imprisoned in
pots. When the tender ones should 90
into winter quarters or come forth to
the summer air; when we wish to dis
play them by paved walks, beneath trees,
or among grass where they could not
grow in the ground, or when we wish to
retire tlowcrless and fading ones, and
replace them with fresh bevy of bloom
ing beauties, we can transport them in
pots with no loss or injury.
Now since potted plants are in an
unnatural and difficult condition for
growth, the amateur cultivator must
strive to abate the evils of their condi-
ton that it may differ as little as posi-
BILE from that which the nature of a
plant requires.
A plant in the open ground buries it's
roots deeply in large mass of the cool
and moist soil. But the small portion
of soil contained in flower pot may
soon become quite too dry for the health
full growth, especially as the moisture
escapes from the drainage, the upper
surface and through the pores of the
pottery.
The vicissitudes of heat and drought
are often aggravated by openly expos
ing the sides of the pot to hot drying
air and even to a burning summer sun
until the tender spongioes, or feeding
roots, that are in close contact with the
inner surface of the heated pot are
shrivelled or entirely killed A potted
plant naturally extends it's feeding roots
horizontally until checked by the pot,
when they turn downward and upward
along the inner surface until they form
a close network of woven fibers on the
outer sides of the ball of earth. This
arrangement of the rootlets is seen on
turning plant out of the pot with it's
earth and roots. 1t also explains how
the health and beauty of a plant must
suffer and fail when the sides of the pot
are exposed to the heating power of the
sun.
Now to keep the roots of our ported
plants as nearly as possible in the same
condition with respect to heat and
moisture with those of plants growing
in open ground, when we bring them
out of doors, we must plunge the pot
to the rims in the cool and moist soil of
the earth and then water as often as
may be needed.
Again, our potted plants have but
pittance of soil from which to feed COM
pared with what may be reached by