ort rap, either with the hand or by striking its bottom against the
bench (which should be about waist-high) to firm and level the earth in
it. With a little practice this operation becomes a very easy and quick
one. Place the pots side by side and give a thorough watering. Keep in a
shaded place, or shade with newspapers, for four or six days, and as
soon as growth begins, move the pots apart, to allow the free
circulation of air before the plants crowd. The time for repotting in a
larger size pot is shown by the condition of the roots; they should have
formed a network about the side of the pot, but not have remained there
long enough to become tough or hard. They should still be white
"working" roots. To repot, remove the ball of earth from the old pot, by
inverting, striking the rim of the pot against the edge of the bench (a
light tap should be sufficient), taking care to have the index and
middle finger on either side of the plant stem, to hold it readily. Put
in the bottom of the new pot sufficient earth to bring the top of the
ball of roots, when placed upon it, a little below the rim of the pot.
Hold this ball firmly in the center of the new pot, and fill in the
space about it with fresh earth, packing it in firmly, using either the
fingers or a bit of wood of convenient size. As a usual thing it is best
when shifting to use a pot only one size larger. For pots above four
inches in diameter, provide drainage by "crocking." This is accomplished
by putting irregular shaped bits of stone, charcoal, cinders or pieces
of broken pots in the bottom, being careful not to cover or plug up the
hole.

If the pots are placed directly on the bottom of the bench--board,
slate, tile or whatever it is--they will dry out so quickly that it is
next to impossible to keep them properly watered. To overcome this
difficulty, an inch or two of sand, or two or three inches of earth, is
placed on the benches. When placing the pots upon this covering, work
them down into it, just a little, instead of setting them loosely on top
of it.

There are several insect pests which are likely to prove quite
troublesome if given a start and the proper conditions in which to
develop--crowded plants, too much heat, lack of ventilation, too little
moisture. Prevention is the best cure. Burn tobacco stems or tobacco
dust, used according to directions, every week (or oftener if required),
and see that no bugs appear. One or two of the strongest brands