THE MINNESOTA 



HORTICULTURIST. 



VOL. 22 DECEMBER, 1894. NO. 11. 



loriciiltiire. 



Tdori 



PLANT ROOM FOR THE HOUSE. 



J. M. UNDERWOOD, LAKE CITY. 



You have all noticed, no doubt, the inherent desire on the part of 

 tnost people to keep plants in their houses, and with varying- suc- 

 cess are their desires gratified. In what I shall say on this subject, 

 I shall hope to point out a way whereby this praiseworthy ambi- 

 tion can best be realized. 



To keep plants in the windows of our living rooms requires much 

 extra work. The proper temperature cannot be easily maintained, 

 and, as the plants need the best position in the sunlight, they really 

 make their best appearance to the passer-by and their worst to the 

 inmates of the rooin, disarranging more or less the harmony of 

 the furnishings. Experience and observation have taught me that 

 there is an easy remedy for these difficulties, and it is this: Select, 

 if possible, the sunny side of the house. If it opens into the parlor, 

 sitting-room or dining-room, it will be best; but it is also a pleas- 

 ant adjunct to a bedroom. If, however, you must have it open into 

 some room on the east, west or even north side of the house, you 

 can have a very nice plant room, but you will have to grow those 

 plants that are most prized for their foliage, as only the south, or 

 sunny, side can insure you a profusion of flowers. However, not 

 even flowers are more beautiful to me then the lovely ferns and 

 begonias that thrive best out of the sun. 



Having decided on the location, a good size to build is a room ten 

 feet wide and sixteen feet long. If it can go into an angle of the house 

 and open into two rooms, so much the better. No matter if there is 

 a door or window in the way, for they can open into the room and 

 should be converted into double glass doors that can be opened or 

 shut as desired. Build the foundation to correspond with that of 

 the house and fill in the space with earth to within four inches of 

 the top. On this lay grout, made with cement and coarse sand or 

 gravel, and finish the surface with Portland cement or tiling, but 

 having it come as high as the floor. The surface can be made to 



