SUCCESS AND FAILURE WITH HOUSE PLANTS. 393 



must keep them in our living rooms have to contend with many 

 things : insufficient hght. atmosphere too hot or too cold and always 

 too dry, dust and insects innumerable. 



I believe all plants require light and thrive better in strong light, 

 but all do not require sunlight or, at least, but little direct sunlight. 

 You will have to arrange your plants as to light so as to give those 

 that revel in sunlight the sunniest positions and those requiring less 

 to the back of these or else in windows getting less sunlight. Some 

 plants do well in north windows. Primroses do well there, but I 

 think they do better if they get the morning sunshine. The finest 

 primroses I ever grew- were in a window in the northeast corner of 

 the house, and where they got much steam from the kitchen. 

 Cyclamen will do well in a north window, placed near the glass, 

 so they will be in strong light. These two, primrose and cyclamen, 

 wall, during the short, cold days of winter, convert a north window 

 into a thing of beauty, a bit of spring full of color and fragrance. 

 Some plants must have sunlight and will not bloom without it. I 

 had many a plant drop its buds in November and December for 

 the w^ant of sunshine, when I had done the best by it I could. 



I read in floral magazines the experiences of many and their de- 

 vices for keeping their plants from freezing. Now, I have more 

 trouble to keep mine from baking rather than freezing, and I believe 

 that is the experience of nearly every one whose house is heated 

 either by furnace or hard coal stoves, especially when the family 

 fireman is at home and on to his job. In any case, ^yhether too 

 hot or too cold, the atmosphere is always too dry. which must be 

 counteracted in some way. We should always keep a vessel con- 

 taining water on the stove or register. Lay sponges saturated with 

 water around and among the plants. Crush paper in your hands, 

 forming a ball, and use in the same way. If your tables or shelves 

 are covered with oil cloth you can do this easily. If water gets on 

 the oil cloth in watering your plants leave it to evaporate naturally. 

 Always put the plants requiring the most heat on the highest shelves 

 or stands, devising some way to supply them with moisture, those 

 requiring less heat near the floor. In waterings, especially in win- 

 (er, much care should be used. There is more danger of giving too 

 much water rather than too little. Many people have said to me, 

 "How often do you water your plants ? Do you water them every 

 ,day? How' much do you give them?" I can only say, I w^ater them 

 when they need it and give them according to their capacity to take 

 it. It may be twice a day. once a day, once a. week or once a month, 

 and the quantity a half gill, gill, pint, quart or gallon according to 

 the size, character or condition of the plant, the size of the pot, etc. 



