224 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



SO little care, an arranijcnient of this kind coniniciKls itself to the beginner in 

 window gardenin.2^ nntil lie gets into tlie way of managing plants indoors, when 

 he can attempt something more elaborate. 



Prof. Beal. — 1 am often asked, "what ails my plants?" and the answer in 

 a large share of the instances is, "you are too kind to them."' It is full as 

 easy to drown a plant as to drown a cat, to say the least ; and my advice is to 

 give water only when it is needed, and use judgment rather than regularity. 

 The idea that plants must be watered every day anyway is a false one. Give 

 them Avater when they are thirsty, the same as you would yourself. I am 

 greatly in favor of cultivating ferns because they are so beautiful and seem so 

 well adapted to house culture, — and can endorse all the secretary has said about 

 the adai)tability of the Wardian case to window gardening. 



Mr. Lvon. — The Wardian case is certainly the most beautiful plan that can 

 be ado])ted for successfully growing a certain cla>s of plants in the house : but 

 I will i)ut stress upon the class, for the sorts of plants that will succeed in one 

 of these cases are limited to a very few, among which are those the secretary men- 

 tioned. With such a case one need not have the constant fear of freezing u]) that 

 haunts us wlien we have a lot of plants in tiie open window, witli a wood-tire to 

 regulate the temperature. Tiie glass case gives very perfect protection, and the 

 thermometer may indicate even freezing point Avithout and the case of plants 

 will be perfectly safe. 



One fault I commonly notice in the management of house plants, and that 

 is in not checking the tendency to grow a tall, spindling stem. This may be 

 successfully done by pinching the tips from time to time, and it adds materi- 

 ally to the beauty of most plants to make them put on a stocky growth. 



Prof. Tracv. — There is one element in the management of plants that neither 

 of these gentlemen have considered, and jierhaps it is because they are without 

 experience, — that is tlie children. I find it necessary to think of them some- 

 what in the selection of plants for the window, or rather to remember the re- 

 markable tendency that most small children have to "handle things."' In my 

 own experience I find it safest to grow a few large plants rather than to attempt 

 the growing of a great numy smaller ones. 



We must not forget the cold nights, and unless a window full of i^lants are 

 well lixed for moving, it is better to have fewer large ones mounted on castors 

 so they can be easily rolled to the middle of the floor. It is very desirable to 

 have flowering plants, and of those that grow large and flower well I wish to 

 mention two that have always done well with me : the Calla lily and the Aga- 

 panthus umbellatus. They are a good deal like the Concord grape, will stand 

 a good deal of neglect and do pretty well. 



George Taylor, Kalamazoo. — I agree most heartily with Mr. Tracy that it is 

 better to limit our plants for the wititer house-garden to very few varieties. 

 My wife is a great hand for plants and flowers, but has for winter nothing but 

 three varieties of carnations and is never without flowers. With her these 

 plants })rove eminently successful, and I think that others who try them will 

 And they are easily cared for, and are as satisfactory as any })lant for home 

 culture. 



A paper was next read by Prof. W. W. Tracy of Old Mission, Grand Trav- 

 erse, upon 



