The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-31
Domestic.
How to Treat Plants for Winter
Decoration.

done is to grow them in proper shape
and to prevent them from blooming
which is lone in the following way:
They will need shifting or repotting
from time to time, which can be Judged
by simply knocking them OUT of the
pot and sowing If the roots are all mat~
together between the pot and the
ball of soil if they are. they
require reporting: if, not wait a little
longer. By the term knocking out"
is not meant to break the pot all to
pieces, as some have supposed. but
simply to separate the pot from the
ball of earth. which is done by taking
hold of the pot with the right hand
and spreading the fingers of the left
hand over the surface of the soil in the
pot. allowing the plant to rest between
the middle and first finger. Now in
vert pot and plant SO hat the latter
hangs head down: give a gentle rap or
two on the rim Of the edge of some
table or bench so as not to strike the
plant. and it will side out nicely into
the left hand.)
In reporting, first put a handful or
so of soil in the bottom of the new pot,
so as to get the top Of the ball of earth
lust one inch lower than the upper
edge of the pot: this will allow plenty
of room for watering. Set the ball in
center of the pot and fill all around
with fresh, rich soil; press well down
with both thumbs and give a gentle
rap on the bench TO make the surface
perfectly level. Then water well. If
the roots are very much matted, loosen
some of the soil from the top of the
ball. outer edge first, and then repOt.
Always be careful to set the plant in
the centre and have it rest perfectly
straight, as nothing looks worse than
to see a fine plant spoiled by leaning to
one side.
The best pct, to grow plants are the
common clay pots. After years OF trial
| have found plants to do better in
them than in anything else, for the
following reasons: If you have had
plants you will notice that the sides Of
the clay pots are moist and always
covered with a greenish, Shiny sub
stance; and cause of this is that the
surplus water finds at the sides OF the
pot the quickest outlet, being porous.
Water will sink to the bottom of the
dot when there is too much for the
sides, and III into the saucer, If one is
underneath to catch it. 1t this sur
plus water is allowed to in the pot, it
will cause the soil to become sou and
the roots will rot and finally the plant
perishes. 1t can therefore readily be
seen that the side drainage is of as
much consequence as that In the bot
tom, and for this reason glazed or
painted pots will be found inferior to
the clay poths, all the pores they have
in the sides are closed up with paint,
etc. l know quite well that they have
holes in the bottom, but the millions
of little holes in the sides are not there.
Fancy pots may be used to advantage
in this way only; for those wishing to
raise plants in summer for winters use
and having no garden, they a grow
them in the window, but they must
not be allowed to bloom. Pot the
plant in clay pots that may be fitted
into the fancy ones. Pot and set them
in the window. In this way the clay
pot is hidden and the drainage IS not
inferred with. Those having no fancy
use a pot cover. 1t will hide the pot
and give it a very neat and ornamental
appearance without interfering with
made of black walnut or whitewood
painted green, red, blue, yellow, etc.
Some are also gIlded like picture frames
and others have gilt and green bars.
They can be obtained any size from
four to eight inches high, and from 81
to 81 per dozen.
a very pretty arrangement car be
used On the outside Of a window in
summer, er inside in winter. 1t is sim
ply a wooden board resting on two
iron brackets attached to the sill, with
a black-walnut pot fence around it; it
can be bought to it any window.
After fixing the stand at described.
place in each corner a f1ower-pot CON
tanning a nice running vine, which
can be trained up the sides of the Win
dow; and then other pots with flowing
plants can be set on the stand. An
additional attraction can be made by
hanging a bird cage from the top of
the window SC as to centre with the
running vines.
Pruning will be required at the
growth of the plants progresses, more
or less. If the plant is too tall OF
| spindling. and you wish it dwarf OF
buShy, cut the crown or centre stalk off
as low down as is desired. This will
force the plant to start or send Out
new branches from the sides of t {
old stalk. Cut away all dead or dri q
branches, that may by accident be
broken off, and see that all the with
cred yellow leaves are removed. B,
cutting or pruning off all the buds as
fast as they appear they will be pre-
vented from blooming now, and vii
bloom in winter with more profusion
If allowed to bloom now they will no
bloom in winter. Stop cutting off the
buds about three weeks before bloom
is desired. Those raising plants from
seed will have little other care bu'
watering, for three week to come: bu'
see that they do not want for that
else ones labor will be of little avail
Rural NeU Yorker.
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