110 ANNUAL REPORT. 
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the banking, projecting several feet outside and inside. This, with an upper 
door opening into a pantry, and a window from that into a summer kitchen, 
secure a current of fresh air. 
Culture of House Plants. 
This is an exhaustive subject, but don’t be alarmed gentlemen, I am not go- 
ing to tell you ‘* all I know about it it,’’ and keep you from the discussion of 
Siberian apples. How I hate the whole of them, came from an apple country 
and cannot get up any liking for crabs. They are so astringent and sting my 
throat. They make beautiful jelley but I do not like it. This is heresy, all the 
same I honor and respect the persevering nurserymen, who have brought com- 
parative sweetness out of much bitterness, and are trying so hard to get iron- 
clad apples to stand this furious climate. 
Roses. With these have been quite successful in a small way. Having had 
one time or another many of the newer and choice varies. Used to have a rose 
bed but the fowls annoyed me so much—they would reach over and snap off 
the buds, in spite of all barricades. In sheer desperation took to cultivating 
them in pots, boxes, nail and powder kegs sawn in two, four holes bored in the 
bottom, and a layer of charcoal to ensure good drainage and keep the soil from 
souring. Gave rich garden earth, mixed with one-third well-rotted cow 
manure; with a sprinkle of sand to keep the surface from cakmg; roses love a 
rather stiff soil. In summer they are kept outdoors where they have the sun 
all day, except from 11 a. mM. to3 p.m. Are watered every noon if needed, and 
showered at evening with rain-water. While in bud I give them weak soot- 
water twice a week. One pint of soot to two or three gallons of water, kept in 
an old jar under the bushes and filled up as used, lasted all summer without 
more soot. How those roses grew and bloomed! never an insect could be seen. 
Pierre St. Oyr. A French rose; is a noisette; now classed with tea-roses, on 
account of its sweetness; has the fragrance of the old hundred leaved rose. Do 
we not all remember how they grew in our mother’s yards years agone? How 
we pulled as many as we wanted—there were hundreds on every bush—it is 
sweet with memories. No other rose can surpass it. St. Oyr is a free bloomer. 
Some strong shoots having seven full-blown roses, besides a half dozen buds at 
one time. During the summer this little bush had over sixty roses. It is a rose 
which never fails me winter or summer. Color, clear bright pink. 
This 1s a short list of roses, that, with good soil, perfect drainage, weekly 
showering, sunny windows, are (with me) sure to bloom in winter. 
Agrippina. Color brilliant red; always in bud or bloom. 
Pink Daily. An old variety and constant bloomer; worth half a dozen of 
some of the newer sorts. 
Malmaison. <A splendid rcse. Color, creamy flesh, changing to fawn, 
large, very durable, exceedingly sweet and free blooming. 
Mad Ayalia Imbert. Color, rosy buff with peach shading, fragrant tea-scent. 
Laprand. Color, bright apricot yellow; free bloomer; beautiful in bud, but 
not when fully blown. 
Geraniums do not bloom well in winter unless grown through the summer 
for that purpose. Cuttings started in June—all buds pinched out until late in 
September, then let them form, will bloom until January. Or old stocks trim- 
med, repotted in rich soil last of Aug., with weekly watering of manure water, 
