A dictionary of modern gardening - University Library

POT 480 POT
the other, and this vegetates again as
soon as ripe.
Both varieties are best propagated
by offsets of the root of moderate size,
for if those are employed which the one
variety produces on the summit of its
stems, they seldom do more than increase
in size the first year, but are pro-
Poterium Sanguisorba. Small, or
Upland Burnet. Used in cool tankards,
soups, and salads.
Soil and Situation.—It delights in a
dry, poor soil, abounding in calcareous
matter ;
any light compartment that has
an open exposure, therefore, may be
allotted to it, the only beneficial addi
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lific the next ; this also occurs if very tion that can be applied being bricksmall
offsets of the root are employed. layers' rubbish or fragments of chalk.
Planting. — They may be planted A small bed will be sufficient for the
during October or November, or as ear- supply of a family.
]y in the spring as the season will allow, Propagation is either by seed, or by
but not later than April. They are slips and partings of the roots. The
either to be inserted in drills, or by seed may be sown towards the close of
a blunt dibble, eight inches apart each February, if open weather, and thence
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way, not buried entirely, but the top of until the close of May; but the best
the offset just level with the surface, time is in autumn, as soon as it is ripe;
Mr. Maher, gardener at Arundle Castle, I for, if kept until the spring, it will often
merely places the sets on the surface
covering them with leaf-mould, rotten
dung, or other light compost. The beds
they are grown in are better not more
than four feet wide, for the convenience
of cultivation.
Cultivation. — The only cultivation
required is to keep them clear of weeds.
fail entirely, or lie in the ground until
the same season of the following year,
without vegetating. Insert in drills,
six inches apart, thin, and not buried
more than half an inch. The plants
must he kept thoroughly clear of weeds
throughout their growth. When two
or ihrce inches high, thin to six inches
The practice of earthing the mould over apart, and those removed place in rows
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them when the stems have grown up is', at the same distance, in a poor, shady
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unnatural, and by so doing the bulbs border, water being given occasionally
are blanched and prevented ripening until they have taken root, after which
perfectly, on which so much depends, they will require no further attention
their keeping. So far from following until the autumn, when they must be
this plan, Mr. Wedgewood, of Betley,
recommends the earth always to be
removed to their final
a foot apart. When
station, in rows
of established
cleared away down to the ring from
whence the fibres spring, as soon as
growth, the only attention requisite is
to cut down their stems occasionally in
the leaves have attained their full size summer, to promote the production of
and begin to be brown at the top, so young shoots, and in autumn to have
that a kind of basin is formed round the the decayed stems and shoots cleared
bulb. As soon as they vegetate, they away.
intimate the number of offsetts that will If propagated by partings of the roots,
be produced, by showin a shoot for the best time for practising it is in Sepeach.
tember and October. They are planted
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They attain their full growth towards at once where they are to remain, and
the end of July ; tor immediate use they only require occasional watering until
may be taken up as they ripen, but for established. The other parts of their
keepiVig, a little before they attain per- cultivation are as for those raised from
fect maturity, which is demonstrated by seed.
the same symptoms as were mentioned To obtain Seed some of the plants
in speaking of the onion.
POTENTILLA. One hundred and
must be left ungathered from, and allowed
to shoot up early in the summer;
sixteen species. Hardy herbaceous, they flower in July, and ripen abund-
except the green-house P. Vnieariloba.
Seed and division. Light loam.
POTERIUM. Burnet. Six species.
ance of seed in the autumn.
POT-HERBS. See Herhary.
To Dry Pot-Herbs. — Though grow-
Chiefly hj^dy herbaceous and shrubby. ing plants can bear an elevated tem-
The latter are increased by young cutperature without injury, a very different
tings, and the others by seed. Lights effect is produced upon them by even a
rich loam. lower heat after they have been sepa-