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1829. The utensils used in growing plants are the pot, water-saucer, box, tub, watering-
pot, and syi'inge.
1830. Offiower-pots there are several species and many vai-ieties.
The common flower-pot is a cylindrical tapering vessel of burnt clay, with a perforated
bottom, and of wliicli there are eleven British sorts, distinguished by their sizes, th u s : the
In . In . 1 tfia.diep st size has 3 to tho to st, an d arc called twos, hcing 18 12
2 d 4 . . . . fours 13 10
5d 6 . . . . sixes 9 8
4 th 8 . . . , eights 8 7
5tli 12 . . . . twelves 7 6 6tl( 16 . . . . siiteen s 6 7
7 th sizohas 24 to th e ca*/,and i
In . In .
dia.decp.
•e called twenty-fours,heingS 6
tJiirty-twos 4 5
forty-oiglits 5 4
sixties 2 2J
tliumbs,or eighties 2
Common flower-pots are sold by the cast, and the price is generally the same for ail the
eleven sorts ; tivo pots or a cast of No. 1, costing the same price as eighty pots, or a cast
of No. 11.
The store-pot is a broad flat-bottomed pot, used for striking cuttings, or raising
seedlings.
The pot fo r bulbous roots is narrower and deeper than usual.
The pot fo r aquatics should have no holes in the bottom or sides.
The pot fo r marsh-plants s h o u l d h a v e t h r e e o r f o u r sm a l l h o l e s i n t h e s id e s a b o u t o n e
t h i r d o f t h e d e p t h f r o m i t s b o t t o m . T h i s t h f r d b e i n g f i l l e d Avith g r a v e l , a n d t h e r e m a i n d e r
Avith s o il, a s u c c e s s f t i l im i t a t i o n o f a m a i 's h Avill b e p r o d u c e d .
The stoneware pot may be of any of the above shapes ; bnt, being made of clay, mixed
with poAvdered stone of a certain quality, it is much more durable.
The glazed pot is cliiefly used for ornament : pots of this description are generally glazed
green, but, for superior occasions, are sculptured and painted, or incrusted, &c.
1831. The propagation-pot (fig. 451.) has a slit in the side, from the rim to the hole
in the bottom, the nse of which is to admit a shoot of a tree for
propagation by ringing, in the Chinese manner. Opposite to the
451
slit is an ear, or round appendage, with a hole for hanging the
pot to a branch. To those who practise the mode of rooting
shoots Avithout laying them doAvn to the ground, such pots AviS
prove veiy convenient. In France and Italy they are formed in a
similai* manner, and for the same pui-pose, of tinned fron.
Square pots are preferred by some for the three smallest sizes
of pots, as containing more earth in a given sui-face of shelf or
basis ; but as they ai-e more expensive at ffrst, less convenient
452
for shifting, and not admitting of such perfection of form as the circle, they do not, in
our opinion, merit adoption. They are used in different pai-ts of Lombai-dy and at
Paris.
The classic pot i s t h e c o m m o n m a t e r i a l f o rm e d i n t o v a s e s , o r p a r t i c u l a r s h a p e s , f o r
a lo e s a n d o t h e r p l a n t s w h i c h s e ld o m r e q u i r e s h i f t i n g , a n d Avhich a r e d e s t i n e d t o o c c u p y
p a r t i c u l a r s p o t s i n g a r d e n s o r c o n s e r v a to r i e s , o r o n t h e t e iT a c e s a n d p a r a p e t s o f m a n s i o n s
i n t h e s u m m e r s e a s o n .
The Chinese pot is generally glazed, and wide in proportion to its depth ; but some
ai*e Avidest beloAV, with the saucer attached to the bottom of the pot, and the slits on the
side of the pot for the exit or absoi-ption of the water. Some oniamental Chinese pots
are square at top and bottom, and bellied out in the middle.
The French pot, instead of one hole in the centre of the bottom to admit Avater, has
several small holes about one eighth of an inch in diameter, by which worms are excluded.
The French have also flower-pots, the under sides of the bottoms of Avhich are
concave (fig. 453.) ; by which means the water is never retained between the pot and
the surface on which it stands, as is fi-equently the case with flat-bottomed pots. A
grooved-bottomed pot (fig. 454.) is used for the same purpose.
1832, Palmer’s improved flower-pot (fig. 455.) has the advantage of not blowing down
i l l Av in d y A v e a th e r, a n d n o t a lloA v in g th o
w o n n s t o e n t e r Avhen t h e p o t is s t a n d i n g
o n t h e g r o u n d . T h e p o t h a s a l s o t h e
a d v a n t a g e o f n e v e r g e t t i n g w h a t i s c a l l e d
w a t e r - l o g g e d , t h a t i s t o s a y , t h e h o l e i n
t h e b o t t o m o f t h e p o t b e c o m i n g s t o p p e d
s o a s t o p r e v e n t t h e p r o p e r d r a i n a g e o f
t h e s o i l i n t h e p o t .
1833. Brown’s flower-pot (fig. 456.) h a s d o u b l e c l o s e d s id e s , a n d m a y h a v e t h e v a c u i t y
f i l l e d Avith Avatei- t h r o u g h a sm a l l o r i f ic e i n t h e r im o r b e l e f t e m p t y a t p l e a s u r e . E v e i y
g a r d e n e r i s aAvare t h a t p l a n t s Avill b e p r e v e n t e d f i-om s u f f e r i n g f o r Avant o f w a t e r w h e n
t h e v a c u i t y i s f i l l e d , a n d f r o m lo s i n g t h e h e a t w h i c h w o u l d b e c a r r i e d o f f b y e v a p o r a t i o n
i f t h e p o t w e r e n o t f u r n i s h e d w i t h h o l l o w s id e s . V a r i o u s o t h e r m e a n s h a v e b e e n a d o p t e d
o f o b t a i n i n g t h e s a m e e n d ; a n d , in d e e d , i t Avili g e n e r a l l y b e s u f f ic ie n t i f t h e f loA v e r-p o t
c o n t a i n i n g t h e p l a n t b e p u t A v ith iu a n o t h e r , a t l e a s t tAVo s iz e s l a r g e r t h a n i t s e l f , t h e tw o
f l o w e r - p o t s b e i n g j o i n e d t o g e t h e r b y a l i t t l e c e m e n t a t t h e b a s e . An im p r o v e m e n t o n
B roA v n ’s p o t i s t o h a v e t h e h o l e f o r t h e a d m i s s i o n o f w a t e r m a d e o n t h e o u t s id e .
1834. Hunt’s improved garden-pots and saucers (figs. 457. a n d 458.) h a v e t h r e e e x c e l l e n t
q u a l i t i e s t o r e c o m m e n d t h e m ; a s t h e y e n s u r e ,
f i r s t , im p r o v e d d r a i n a g e ; s e c o n d ly , t h e a d m i s s
457
i o n o f a i r ; a n d , t h i r d l y , t h e y p r e v e n t t h e e n t
r a n c e o f w o rm s .
1835. A cap to prevent worms from entering
pots has been invented by Mr. Barron, the
head gardener at Elvaston Castle. The cap is
made small, and has a rim round its edge.
Wlien it is used, it is placed over the hole in
the bottom of the pot, and admits the escape of
water, Avhilc it effectually prevents the entrance
of worms.
1836. The flower-pot saucer i s a f l a t c f r c i i l a r
v e s s e l , Avith a r im f r o m o n e t o tw o i n c h e s h i g h ,
a n d is m a d e s o m e w h a t l a r g e r t h a n t h e b o t t o m s
o f a l l t h e a b o v e s o r t s o f p o t s . I t s c h i e f n s e is
t o p r e v e n t t h e A va te r, w l i i c h e s c a p e s b y t h e
b o t t o m o f t h e p o t , fi-om p r o v i n g i n c o n v e n i e n t
o n t h e s h e lv e s o r s t a g e s i n r o o m s o r p a r t i c u l a r
s i t u a t i o n s . I n g a r d e n s i t i s s e ld o m w a n t e d .
A s p e c i e s n a m e d t h e carnation-saucer (figs.
452. a n d 459.), i s f o rm e d a s m u c h l a r g e r t h a n
t h e p o t t o b e p l a c e d i n i t a s t o a d m i t o f sm --
r o u n d i n g i t s b a s e w i t h w a t e r , i n o r d e r t o p r e v
e n t c r e e p i n g i n s e c t s f r o m g e t t i n g a t t h e p o t .
In the centre of the saucer is raised a basement
on which to place tho pot, in order to keep it
dry, &c.
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