HOUSE PLANTS IN THE WINTER 



MISS PEEL AND MISS .M KEE, FORDWICH, ONT. 



WE must first have a love for flowers 

 if we are to be successful in their 

 cultivation. A plant should not be watered 

 every day whether it needs it or not. More 

 plants probably die from over-watering than 

 from any other cause. Stir the soil with 

 your fing-er, and if it is dark colored and ad- 

 heres to your finger the plant does not need 

 water, but if it is dusty and light colored it 

 needs watering. If the soil around a good, 

 A'igorous plant, growing in a warm room, 

 shows signs of dryness it should be satu- 

 rated to the bottom when it is watered. A 

 poor i)lant with little foliage should not be 

 watered often. It is better to wait until it 

 is quite dry. 



Plants breathe through their leaves and 

 consequently require fresh air every day. 

 If the leaves of the plant get covered wnth 

 dust its breathing pores are stopped and the 

 plant cannot live long. They should, there- 

 fore, be frequently sprinkled, or the large 

 leaves wiped off with a wet sponge. This 

 should be done every week at least. It will 

 also prevent the eggs of insects, which may 

 be on the plants, from hatching. 



FROZEN PLANTS. 



It sometimes happens that through some 

 mischance the plants in the windows become 

 frozen. In such a case the best thing to 

 do is to remove the plants, as soon as possi- 

 ble, into a cool, dark room, a little above the 

 freezing point, and sprinkle them with 

 water, then bring them gradually to the 

 heat. Sudden heat will completely destroy 

 the plants. Plants that have been frozen 

 can often be saved in this manner. A good 

 plan to guard against frost is to cover the 

 plants at night with newspapers. 



STUDY YOUR PLANTS. 



Amateur florists should study the habits 

 of the plants in their collections in order to 



give the special care needed by each variety. 

 Xot only does this apply pertinently to 

 watering but to the position in the window. 

 If you have a southern window for plants 

 this will suit geraniums, heliotropes, roses 

 and plants of that class, but begonias, prim- 

 roses and many other plants adapted to 

 house culture are not particularly fond of 

 strong sunshine, in fact are otten injured 

 l\v full exposure to it. Find out what 

 plants like partial shade and give them po- 

 sitions in the rear of the sun-loving plants. 

 In this way the plants that require sunshine 

 will not be robbed of it, and those which do 

 not require sunshine will not be harmed by 

 having an excess. 



\\'hen arranging plants in the window 

 garden aim always to have the view from 

 the room pleasing. They are for home 

 adornment and they should be niost attrac- 

 tive from the home standpoint. A good 

 general rule to follow for efifectiveness in 

 arrangement is to have the taller ones at the 

 sides. This frames in the window and al- 

 lows the sun to get at the centre of the 

 group. If all the plants are sun-loving 

 ones place the low growing ones next the 

 glass wath the taller ones behind. Do not 

 crowd any of them. 



The use of swinging iron brackets at each 

 side of the window is highly advisable from 

 the standpoint of utility as well as looks. 

 Those holding three pots enable one to ar- 

 range small plants of a drooping nature, so 

 that the eflfect is very fine. These brackets 

 can be swung to or from the glass and are 

 in every way preferable to shelves. 



There is really no time nor occasion when 

 flowers are out of place. In the home thev 

 serve a two-fold purpose, beautifying by 

 their presence, and refining by their qui^t 

 influence. — (A. R. Goodman. Cayuga, Ont. 



A piper read at a Woman's Institute meeting. 



