We have, in studying different books on horticulture, found many
opposing sentiments. Some seemed like hearsay to all former experience,
yet we ought to be ready to receive all advice based upon positive
experience. We intend acting upon some new theories of Peter Henderson,
a famous gardener near New York. We have always supposed it very
injurious to take water directly from a cold spring to water plants,
and that rain water or soft water must be used, at the same temperature
as the air in which the plants are growing. He says it is a foolish
dogma, as the water will take the same temperature before the plant
can be injured. Of course if the plant was to stand in cold water it
would injure it. This will save much extra trouble; we ourselves shall
profit by his advice, as he ought to know, having faithfully tried the
experiment.
We have always supposed it necessary for the health of a potted plant
to have a sufficient amount of bits of oyster shell, &c., at the bottom
for drainage.
Mr. Henderson says, for fifteen years he has grown all his thrifty
plants _without_ the use of crock, charcoal, or any other substitute,
and he considers it useless trouble; he thinks the moisture escapes
freely from the sides of the pot. He says when we wish to resuscitate
an unhealthy plant, we wash the soil from its roots, and put in a
_new_ pot, where the drainage is perfect from the sides. He has grown
_millions_ of healthy plants without draining. He thinks old pots,
whose pores are all filled, often cause the death of a plant. He
approves of frequent change of pots, as it injures a plant for the
roots to become hard and woody. In most cases the slightest tap on the
edge of the pot is sufficient to turn out the ball of earth. Be careful
and not take too large a pot; the size must increase gradually.
Mr. Henderson thinks it is not unhealthy to sleep with plants in the
room, as we have always been taught. He says it is a common practice
for gardeners to sleep in their green-house, and to be with their
plants often at night, and yet, as a class, they are vigorous men.
He himself, for three winters, slept on the floor of the hot-house,
without any injury, and that was more than a score of years ago.
Plants can easily be sent by mail, by first washing the roots in
water, then take them dripping and wrap them in dry moss, then roll
around them several thicknesses of thick brown paper; the whole must
be _tightly_ rolled, to prevent the dry air penetrating to shrivel the
plant. In this way plants can be sent even two thousand miles at a
cheap rate, as our postal laws only charge two cents for four ounces,
unless the package exceeds four pounds.