2l8 HOUSE PLANTS 



old-fashioned chest for the shrubs. Actual 

 cash outlay fifteen cents a plant! After 

 the ether treatment the plants were subject 

 to all the discomforts that commonly fall 

 to the lot of house plants during winter. 



"The old-fashioned chest, with dovetailed 

 corners and double boards on the sides and 

 bottom, was lined with heavy paper and all 

 suggestions of cracks were filled with putty. 

 The lid was removed, and the chest was 

 placed upside down on the cellar floor and 

 banked around with earth. A hole was 

 drilled for the funnel through which the 

 ether was poured. Inside was a sponge and 

 a small basin under the sponge to hold the 

 ether, while the sponge continually soaked it 

 up and aided evaporation. This chest con- 

 tained about fifty-six gallons space and v^e 

 used four ounces of ether for the dose ■ — that 

 is the approved ratio. The hole was tightly 

 plugged after the funnel was withdrawn. 



"We chose for our experiment two azaleas, 

 Vervaeniana, and Simon Mardner; two 

 lilacs, Marie le Gray and Charles X.; two 

 deutzias. 



"November 4th the plants arrived from 

 the nursery. They were potted at once in 



