PARLOR GARDENING. 



157 



The culture of plants in rooms is already described in 

 the chapter on ''Winter-Flowering Plants," so that I 

 need not further allude to it, except to hint in regard to 

 the manner of placing the plants. One of the cheapest 

 and neatest contrivances is the ''folding plant stand" 

 (figure 47). The sizes are from three to six feet wide 

 and eight feet high, having from four to six shelves, and 

 capable of holding from twenty-five to one hundred 

 plants. It is hinged so as to fold up like a camp stool, 

 the shelves fitting in between 

 the frames, and it can be thus 

 shipped or stowed away when 

 not wanted, with great con- 

 venience. Rollers can he at- 

 tached to the feet, so that it 

 may be moved about as easily 

 as a table ; a great advantage 

 in cold nights, when it can 

 be drawn away from the win- 

 dow to a warmer part of the 

 room or to another room. Plants, when placed on this, or 

 similar stands, may be provided with saucers, so that the 

 floor or carpet need not be injured while watering. It is 

 not a good plan, however, to keep water in the saucers. 

 It is always a safer way of feeding the plant to water the 

 soil on the top, giving only enough for it to reach the 

 bottom, where, if any water pass through, it will be held 

 bv the saucer. If no saucers are used, and we think 

 plants are generally grown more safely without them, 

 the best plan is to take down the plants from the stand 

 (three times a week will usually be enough), to some' 

 place where the water will not do any injury, and give a 

 good soaking to all such as appear to be dry ; those not 

 so dry, water more sparingly, and give those in which the 

 soil shows that it is wet, none whatever. Let the water 

 drain off, pick off any dead leaves, and replace the pots 



Fig. 47. — FOLDING PLANT STAND. 



