FARM AND GARDEN, Horticultural Society.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 158, 26 June 1886, Page 1

FARM AND GARDEN, Horticultural Society.

The Committee of the Auckland Gardeners' Horticultural Society met last Tuesday in Newmarket, when a good deal of routine business was transacted. From a statement read by theTreasurer,itappeared that the finances of the Society would bo in a position to give a balance of special prize money. All members' tickets were paid. The Secretary aud Treasurer were authorised to collect such money.so as to be able to clear off nil liabilities before the annual meeting, to be about the 2Sth inst. It is to be hoped that a large number of the members will meet so as to elect a committee of management, etc., for next year's operations.

Soil for Pot Plants. Many amateurs in Auckland fail in growing lirat class pot plants eimply through not providing good soil to pot their plants in. Tbie, I think, is caused by not having proper soil slways on hand, and when a plant is to be repotted they simply use ordinary garden soil, thinking that, as their plants out in the garden succeed well, it must be good enough for pot plants. Now, as a rule, there ii not any ordinary garden soil good enough for the growing of plants in pots. There always ought to be an endeavour made to obtain a small quantity of good rich turfy loam. Only about two inches off the surface is sufficient. About a barrow-load would la9t for a long time with some email growers. Such soil must be kept till the grass is dead before it is tit for use, then mix about the same quantity of well-rotted cow manure or stable manure, and about half the quantity of eand. Thie should be kept in separate boxes ready for mixing up in suitable mixtures, as plant? required re-potting. A large number of amateurs now doing fairly well with potplants would succeed much better if they followed the above plan. Numbers of the nurserymen in Britain always keep a sOck of potting soil for sale to amateurs. Perhaps aome of the nurserymen in Auckland might try the same. I think it would pay both amateurs and them.