There is much hesitation as to when plants should be potted or repotted. The rule among gardeners is to repot just before the plant begins to grow, or while it is growing freely. It should never be repotted when at rest; or if it is necessary to repot then, the soil should be kept rather dry till some signs of growth are apparent. At the first potting, when the plant is taken from the ground or in any event, the rule is to get into the smallest size pot that the roots can be pressed into, and as soon as growth commences, to repot into one just a size larger. Where the very best success in plant culture is desired with strong growing plants they get three or sometimes four shifts a year.

If a plant has a large quantity of earth in proportion to roots, the continual watering is apt to make the soil sour, as gardeners term it, unless the drainage is very perfect indeed. In such cases it is said that the plant suffers from over-potting. When the plant is to be repotted, the soil can scarcely be too dry, and it is rammed in between the old ball and new pot as firmly as possible. It is very important to health that the drainage should be good. The hole at the bottom of the pot is to let out the water, and this should be covered with pieces of broken pot or gravel, broken brick, or something that will assist the water to escape, - and on this a piece of moss or something that will prevent the earth from clogging up the spaces between the material. All this trouble is only taken where the very best results from plant growing are desirable. Potting and watering are among the most critical conditions of success in plant growing.

Window plants suffer much at this season from the high and dry temperature at which it is necessary for human comfort to keep our dwellings. Air can seldom be admitted from the lowness of the external temperature. Saucers of water under the plants do much to remedy the aridity from which room plants suffer. In such cases, however, so much water must not be given to plants as to those without saucers. The water is drawn up into the soil by attraction; and though the surface will appear dry, they will be wet enough just beneath.

The more freely a plant is growing, the more water will it require; and the more it grows, the more sun and light will it need. In all cases, those which seem to grow the fastest should be placed nearest the light. The best aspect for room plants is the south-east. They seem like animals in their affection for the morning sun. The first morning ray is worth a dozen in the evening. Should any of our fair readers find her plants, by some unlucky calculation, frozen in the morning, do not remove them at once to a warm place, but dip them in cold water, and set them in a dark spot, where they will barely escape freezing. Sunlight will only help the frost's destructive powers.

The temperature of the greenhouse at this season should be maintained at about 500, allowing it to rise 10º or 15º under the full sun, and sinking 10° or so in the night. Though many of our practical brethren differ from us - men, for some of whose opinions we entertain the highest respect - we do not recommend a very great difference between night and day temperature; we think 10° ample allowance. It is following nature, no doubt, but we would rather strive to beat nature. She can not make the specimens we do, nor flower them so beautifully or profusely; and in many other respects we think the practical gardener can much improve on her red tape notions and old-fashioned courses.