PREFACE 



There have been books on window gar- 

 dens and house plants before this, and they 

 have told, at length, of every kind of plant 

 that under some condition or other has eked 

 out a struggling existence in our dwellings. 

 The purpose of the present volume is to 

 discuss fully those plants which are sure to 

 succeed. If a selection is made from the 

 various kinds enumerated in the following 

 pages, failure is next to impossible; it can 

 only be brought about by carelessness and 

 inattention to the first principles of cul- 

 tivation. 



Somewhat minute directions have been 

 given for the preparation of soil, for seed 

 sowing and for other operations in connection 

 with each plant, and particularly as regards 

 temperature. It should be understood that in 

 every case these indicate the best conditions, 

 not the imperative conditions; for success 

 can often be achieved with wide divergence 

 from the ideal. Still, the nearer one can 



