dle of March to the middle of May. Plants kept
through the winter for stock plants are usually started up and repotted
early in February to induce the abundant new growth that furnishes
cuttings. The method of repotting will depend on the nature of the
plant. Soft-wooded plants, like geraniums, are put in in the ordinary
way and firmed with the fingers. The palms do best with the new soil
more firmly packed about the old ball of roots. Hard-wooded plants with
very fine roots, like the azaleas, should have the soil rammed down
firmly about the old ball; for which purpose it is necessary to use a
blunt, flat piece of wood, of convenient size. In repotting such
plants, it is well to let the ball of roots soak several minutes in a
pail of water before putting into the new pot. If very densely matted,
make several holes in it with a spike, working it around, and leave the
soil a little lower at the center of the pot to induce the water to run
down through the root ball.

Plants that have been crocked in the old pots should have this material
removed, if possible, before going into their new quarters.

Plants in large pots often use up all the plant food available, and
where they cannot be given still larger pots become quite a problem.
They are usually handsome specimens which one does not like to lose.
Remove such a plant from its pot and carefully _wash_ all the soil from
the roots; clean the pot and carefully repot in fresh soil in the same
pot. The result will be extremely satisfactory.

Until one has become proficient in the art of potting, it will pay well
to practice with every plant and cutting that may be had. If you have
mistakes to make, make them with these, so that your favorite plants may
be handled safely.

CHAPTER VII

MANAGEMENT OF HOUSE PLANTS

There are some general rules that will apply to taking care of all
plants in the house; then there are several groups, the different sorts
in which are handled more or less alike; and lastly there are the
individual requirements of the plants in the several groups to be
considered.

Information about all these varieties, as given in the usual way,
results in a more or less confusing mass of detail. It is for the
purpose of getting this information into as plain a form as possible
that the instructions in the first chapters of this book have been given
in such detail; and those instructions should be used in conjunction
with the following pages. The b