THE GENERAL CARE 



keep it in that condition. Showering the 

 plants daily will help to do this. Water in 

 evaporation from vessels on stoves, registers, 

 and radiators is of great benefit because this 

 evaporation can be kept up if care be taken 

 to keep the vessels constantly filled. In the 

 plant-room the plants can be showered, the 

 room closed, and any desired degree of hu- 

 midity can be secured and maintained with 

 very little trouble. In the living-room it is 

 quite different, but much can be done to cor- 

 rect the unfavorable conditions by those who 

 are concerned over the welfare of their plants. 

 The soil in the pots should be frequently 

 stirred to keep it from crusting over, and to 

 allow air to get to the roots of the plants, also 

 to keep down weeds, and assist evaporation. 

 Plants in the window should be turned at 

 least once a week to give all sides of them an 

 equal chance at the light, and thus prevent 

 them from becoming one-sided and unsym- 

 metrical. It is a good plan to shift them about 

 frequently in the window, giving those that 

 have been kept farthest from the glass a place 

 near it, for a time. In ordinary windows it is 

 well to keep the tall plants at the sides, and 

 give up the center to the smaller ones, as this 



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