STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 91 



the house. They should be potted, or re-potted, a.s the case may be, at 

 lea.st six weeks before their removal to the window. This gives them time 

 to recover and start into growth, and secures a beautiful window from 

 the first, instead of the usual array of too visible pottery filled with for- 

 lorn, blossomless specimens. An important point is, that sudden changes 

 are injurious to j)lants ; hence they should be gradually acciistopied to 

 less sunshine and light l)y placing them on the shady side of the house, 

 and afterwards in a shady porch. Large plants potted from the open 

 border do not often prove satisfactor\ : plants started from cuttings made 

 during the summer are best. Small plants may be successfully potted 

 from the flower bed, if the soil in which the roots are imbedded is removed 

 with them. AVhen the soil is allowed to fall from the roots, the tender 

 extremities of the roots which feed the plant are more or less injured. 



The list of plants suitable for window gardening is large, aud has 

 been printed so often that it need not be repeated here. 1 will, however, 

 give a list of those that grew and bloomed last winter in the loveliest 

 winter garden I ever saw : There was the salvia sjjlcndens, dwarf variety ; 

 hyacinths; begonias, scarlet, pink and white; Chinese primroses, pink 

 and white; Egyptian callas ; Cyclamen persicum ; two wonderfully 

 healthy and motherly-looking geraniums of the rose and balm varieties ; 

 these well deserve mention, for they furnished background for many a 

 daint)' blossom that was sent forth to clieer those sick in mintl or body ; 

 three or four red foliage plants; a pot of mignonette, and another of 

 sweet alyssum ; la.st but not the least charming were luxuriant \ines woven 

 back and forth across the upper half of the window, and hung in tropical 

 festoons from the cornice of the bay window, not fearing to climb the 

 solemn looking book-cases standing near, and making beautiful their dark 

 mouldings with tender green. These vines were the common German 

 and English i\ies, a sweet potato and a wax plant. The sweet potato is 

 really a very desirable vine for the house. It is a rapid grower, and is 

 much more delicate under house culture than when growing out of doors. 

 If a vine of this kind is desired, select — the earlier the better — a well 

 ripened tuber of the Red Nansemond variety, as this kind is said to be the 

 most vigorous grower. If the potato is eight or ten inches long and 

 three or four inches in diameter, it will be about the right si/e. A hya- 

 < inth glass is a pretty and suital)le holder, but a common glass fruit-can, 

 or small earthen jar will do. Fill the vessel with rain water, and stand 

 the potato in the mouth of it, allowing about one-third of the ])otato to 

 go into the water ; set in a warm place to sprout, and fill the holder with 

 water as fast as it evaporates. Probably a great many sprouts will start. 

 Break off all but three or four of the strongest of thiese, as this will 

 make the remaining vines grow longer and be more luxuriant. 



Pot plants are t)enefited by the appli( ation of liquid manures. Am- 

 monia, sparingly administered, agrees with all jjlants ; procure at a drug 

 store a ipiarter of a jjound of the salts of ammonia, break it into small 

 bits, i)ut into a quart bottle, fill with warm rain water, and shake tho- 

 roughly. Of this li(iuid, use one tea-spoonfiil to a quart of water, and 

 water the plants with it once in two weeks. A tea made from decayed 



