STATK POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 55 



CARE OF PLANTS FOR HOUSE AND GARDEN. 

 By Miss G. P, Sanborn. 



Having had some experience in 'the last fev^ years in growing 

 plants and flowers, we will talk a few minutes of a few very 

 simple things which may help those who wish to grow plants 

 in the winter in their farm-house windows. 



It is one thing to grow plants in a house heated by steam or 

 hot water, and another thing to grow plants in a house with 

 stoves and wood fires — the preference being in favor of the 

 farm-house with the wood fires. Of course those of us who 

 keep house plants have a garden or beds for them in summer, 

 out of doors. When August comes and we must begin to plan 

 for our winter window-garden, the first question is, ''What shall 

 I do with all of my plants? They are so large I have no room 

 for them, too large to give away, and it is too bad to let them 

 freeze." And there is no need of this. Every farmer has a 

 cellar for storing vegetables — ^this is the place to keep your large 

 plants. 



We will begin with geraniums, which are the most satis- 

 factory. In August take of¥ your slips, put them into the 

 ground close beside the plant you take them from. This gives 

 Ihem shade, which they must have, and 3^ou know then what 

 your slips are like. When cold weather comes, your slips are 

 just right to put into small pots — small pots — small pots, remem- 

 ber, and will bloom all winter if you keep them in small pots, 

 and be handsome plants for the garden, the coming summer. 

 The old, large plants from which you have taken your slips, are 

 taken up with earth left on the roots, placed in a shallow, rough, 

 wooden box, soap box, an}1:hing, and carried to the cellar. 

 During the winter, when the weather is mild, water them ; three 

 or four times is enough. The leaves will fall ofif, the branches 

 will dry and die too, and when the time com'es to bring them 

 to the light again they will be a sorry looking lot. About the 

 last of March or the first of April, bring them up, shake off the 

 old earth, cut off some of the large, hard roots, cut off all the 

 dead wood down to where it is green and hard — no matter if it 

 is within three or four inches of the pot — then put them into 



