REPORTS OF AUXILIARY SOCIETIES. 293 



as with all vegetable growth, is of the utmost importance. Every pot should 

 have at least au inch of broken crocks, charcoal, or small gravel stones placed 

 in the bottom. With regard to soil, most plants succeed best in a mixture 

 consisting of four equal parts of leaf mould, rotted manure, sand, and common 

 garden soil. 



AVhenever the plants are dry they should be watered, so that the earth in the 

 pot will be saturated and no more, for when much water passes off it tends to 

 weaken the soil. No water should be allowed to remain in the saucers under 

 the pots except in the case of aquatic plants. Soft-wooded plants require 

 more water than hard-wooded. The plants should be placed in a room where 

 the temperature does not exceed 65 or 70°, and where they can have as much 

 light and fresh air as possible. If placed in windows the plants should be 

 turned occasionally, so that they may not grow one-sided. Cold air should 

 never be allowed to blow directly against the plants. 



One of the greatest secrets in growing plants successfully in the house lies in 

 keeping them clean. The leaves should be washed on both sides at least once 

 a week, with a sponge moistened with warm water; this serves to open the 

 pores and keeps the plant healthy. Plants should never be allowed to become 

 covered with insects, as they are easily destroyed if dealt with when they first 

 appear. The aphis, or green fly, may be removed by fumigating with tobacco 

 smoke. Put the plants under a barrel with smoking tobacco, let them remain 

 about ten minutes, then give them a syringing. The mealy bug and scale may 

 be removed by washing the plants thoroughly with warm soap-suds. Worms 

 are best removed by turning the plant out of the crock and picking them out. 



Mrs. E. T. McNaughton then read a paper on the 



ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS IN BOUQUETS. 



What a beautiful thing is a flower! God's smiles, as they are aptly called, 

 appeal to every human heart, and exercise a soothing and refining influence 

 even over the roughest. The last link which binds the degraded and erring 

 one to a good and noble life is often the faded flower in the vase, or the evident 

 longing towards the beautiful seen in the few poor plant pots in the window. 

 Anything which helps to continue and increase this tasie and love so common 

 to all must then be regarded as worthy of our attention, and we can but feel 

 that this society is destined to do much in this direction, " humbly aiming," 

 in the words of that talented horticultural writer, the lamented Downing, "to 

 weave something into the garland of the beautiful and useful that encircles this 

 excellent old earth." Flowers, while beautiful in themselves and standing 

 singly, have this beauty increased and intensiBed by being properly combined 

 in a bouquet, and as there is much in the manner of their combination to 

 determine the success of the whole, my few words will aim to hint at the way 

 of effecting this in the most pleasing and tasteful manner. And first, when 

 flowers are cut, the stem should be severed with a sharp knife, and not with a 

 scissors, nor the thumb and finger, since the bruising of the stem prevents the 

 ready absorption of water in the vase. The selection of varieties of flowers will 

 depend soniewhat on the kind of bouquet and its use. If a large emblem to 

 be used in a public place and seen at a distance, large flowers may be used 

 which would seem coarse in a hand bouquet. Colors must also be considered 

 in the choice of material. Taste would seem to indicate that a certain unity 

 of design should be regarded, and not a promiscuous assemblage permitted. 

 Some one or two kinds and colors should take the lead in giving the character 



