Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-16

potting them. as the case may demand As
To securing proper SOIL which is the first
necessary adjunct to potting, beginners can
best overcome a difficult matter by purchas-
ing the small amount they need from for
lists, who, as a rule, are perfectly willing to
let them have It. In fact there are several
dealers In potting soil In Washington, men
who solicit lawns to look after or flower
beds to care for. who keep 1t solely for that
purpose.
Plants when bought from local florists are
mostly in pots. and in pots often seemingly
far too small in proportion to the size Of
the plant These usually need repottins
Plants received by mail or express from
out-of-town dealers come accompanied by
surprisingly small wads of soil about their
roots In either case Ii Is all right
One of the most common errors among
amateurs, and too often INDUCED in by those
who have passed the amateur stage. is put
ting their plants In too large pots, and then
wonder why they do not bloom. one reason
Is because the strength in the surplus. earth
Is absorbed by the growing roots. Contracted
dimensions will insure more bloom and
form a stronger and more compact plant
paradoxcial as this may appear
"hen shifting a plant from one pot to
another. the latter Of which should always
De Just one size larger. do not take a ham,
mer and pound the pot to pieces or a club
and bang around its sides to loosen the
roots and soil. but simply place the fingers
OF the left hand openly over the surface and
with the right hand holding the pot by the
bottom turn II upside down and give the
rim gentle tap on something and the ball
OF earth will slip out gently as jelly from
mold. Place small piece of curved pot
or two or three straight pieces oyerlapped
in the bottom of the new pot, add a little
dirt. place the ball Of soil in the center and
then with fiat piece Of wood or anything
fiat pack soil between the ball and the sides
moderately firm to within an inch or SO of
the top.
There Is something. and a matter of i'm
portance TOO, OFTEN neglected or not under
stood. and that is in shifting plants If the
ball or soil surrounding roots is encrusted
IT should be tapped around gently with a
light piece OF wood so as to loosen the outer
crust If this Is not done water cannot pen
citrate IT, or at least IT will flow off through
the softer soil without affecting IL ao ali
die. $1,000 -A'
After potting give a good watering to
settie the earth to the bottom OF the pot
out De sparing with water until new growth
takes place. which generally occurs with its
making of roots in the new soil. The plant
should be kept away from the sunlight
for five or six days.
For vines. III any be wanted-tbev ira not
OFTEN cultivated for winter use-smilax. ivy
asparagus and the manetta are most COM
monty used For novelty the potato vine
Is Is UNIQUE solid receptacle OF any kind
nhed with wet sand will grow a sweet pota-
TO nicely and the vine with its pretty foIi-
age and its quickly climbing habit becomes
favorite wherever 1t has been grown.
Points About Drainage.
"Potherds." or broken pieces of crockerv
and gravel. are seldom used by florists IN
less than four-inch pots. After that size
they resort to drainage. filing the Dot about
one-fourth, placing the larger pieces at tho
bottom. Over drainage it is best 10 out
something to prevent the soil being washed
INTO the pieces and choking them up The
most accessible and as good as ANYTHING
that can be had Is the common packing
material known as excelsior" a small
layer of which is placed upon the drainage
prior to putting in the earth. Many florists
are now using 1t alone for pots under seven
inches in size.
If not practicable to have Dot plants
aquatics can be raised in winter without
great deal of trouble-though the embryo
HORST would do well to postpone the Gull
ture or them for few years.
Florida is now furnishing a large number
OF winter-blooming plants for this and even
as high latitude as Boston. The Florida
florists claim that some of the most cher
ished floral pets are natives Of the torrid
Zone. and that as the thermometer there
rarely gets as high in summer as in many
localities in the northern part Of the United
states the natural growth of the plant Is
better adapted to the dwelling house than
those grown in the higher temperature OF a
closed and over-heated green house Green
houses in Florida in winter are only rooted
while many of the plants even In that sea-
son are grown In open air.
For evergreen palms. which can be had
IN an endless variety. and the rubber plant.
which Is rather sensitive to cold and should
De Kept from drafts. are the best.