THE AQUARIUM, JANUARY, 189:3. 



35 



TEMPEHATURE FOR HOUSE PLANTS. 



Tlie greatest success will be found to 

 come from a uniform temperature of 

 45° or 50° F., at night, and 60° to 70° 

 in the daytime ; 80° is too hot except 

 for only some plants of semi-tropical 

 character. Under no circumstances 

 should the temperature go below 35°. 



PRECAUTION AGAINST DUST. 



Dust and dryness of the atmosphere 

 are the two greatest troubles of indoor 

 flower-growing. The first is avoided 

 by covering the plants with a light 

 cloth while the room is being swept, 

 and when it has accumulated it is re- 

 moved by placing the pots in a sink or 

 washtub, and showering the foliage 

 with tepid water from a pot provided 

 Avith a fine rose. The second is over- 

 come to a certain extent by keeping- 

 water on the furnace or stove that heats 

 the room if it be warmed by artificial 

 heat. Open fires give but little trouble, 

 while hot-air heaters are as unhealthy 

 for plants as for man. Another plan 

 recommended is to place the pots on 

 clean sand kept constantly moist. 



The sand may be spread to the depth 

 of about two inches in a shallow zinc 

 box of the size of the windowsill upon 

 which the plants usually stand. 



WHEN AND HOW TO WATER. 



" When shall I water my plants ? " 

 is a vexed question, asked perhaps more 

 frequently than any other by the begin- 

 ner. This depends entirely upon the 

 nature of the plant, for some need more 

 water than others, and yet a soil thor- 

 oughly wet is totally unfit for jjlant 

 growing. The real idea each cultivator 

 should aim at is to supply the plants 

 with water which may drain rapidly 

 through the pots, yet sufficient being re- 

 tained to give a good moist soil for the 

 plant to live in. If the water jmsses 



away rapidly it will need replacing fre- 

 quently. It is generally a sign of health 

 when the soil is well drained and the 

 plant iises up the surplus of water 

 quickly. 



The purposes of watering should be 

 better understood. First, water sup- 

 plies to the roots fertilizing matter con- 

 tained in itself; and, second, it converts 

 the nourishment of the soil into a liquid 

 form more readily fit for absorption by 

 the roots. The roots can obtain it only 

 when the soil is dampened. 



Never give water when the soil is 

 moist to the touch, but wait until it is 

 dry . 



The healthiest plants require water 

 the most frequently, and yet it may ap- 

 pear a contradiction to say that the 

 plants which contain the most watery 

 tissues, the cacti, grow in the dryest 

 places. 



Water cold from the well or pump is 

 not suitable for plants, unleSs of a tem- 

 perature of 60°. Rain water is best, 

 for this is supposed to contain some 

 little ammonia from the sky. 



The best rule in all cases is to use 

 water warm to the hand. Some florists 

 advise water not colder than the atmos- 

 phere. We believe it generally best to 

 use it warmer. In cool mornings it 

 should be lukewarm, say not under 

 55°. Over 150° is neither necessary 

 nor safe. 



Nearly all plants require more when 

 in flower than at any other time. 

 The supply of water must be regu- 

 lated according to the demand of the 

 plants. Calla Lillies will absorb water 

 two or three times as quickly as any 

 other plant. If rain water cannot be 

 easily obtained and hard water is the 

 only source on hand, add a little soda 

 to it and let it stand for awhile ; use a 

 small piece, say a small nugget of the 



