84 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1881. 



At least once a week take them to the bath-room or kitchen 

 sink, or any other suitable place and syringe copiously on both the 

 under and upper sides of the leaves. It is best to use a syringe 

 because if the water is applied with some force, it has much 

 effect to remove both dust and insects. If you have no garden 

 syringe give the plants a good showerins: from the nose of a 

 watering-pot, and an attendant, if possible, sliould hold the 

 plants so that the under as well as the upper side of the leaves 

 may get its share. If no other way is attainable moisten the 

 foliage and stems thoroughly with a soft sponge or rag. I have 

 said this should be done at least once a week, but three times 

 would be better. 



I find that two different motives actuate people in growing 

 plants in the dwelling. One class desires merely to save as majiy 

 as possible of the plants which have flowered in the garden in 

 the Summer time. If they can keep their plants through the 

 Winter, and have them in good condition to plant out by planting- 

 time, they are satisfied. They save their plants and towards 

 Spring they begin to have blossoms. The other class desires 

 blossoms and would not care for the trouble of plants, only for 

 the flowers. In order to have them, the plants must be in a 

 healthy, thrifty condition. And of course it is useless to expect 

 many blooms in the early part of Winter from plants taken out 

 of the ground in the Fall. 



If you are unable to accommodate plants of good size, take off 

 cuttings in July and grow them so they will be ready to bloom 

 early, and they will generally keep on after once beginning. 

 But if you have room for good sized plants, it is better to keep 

 them in pots all the time. When the weather becomes warm 

 enough to put them out of doors, place them on a bench or table 

 in some place where they will get the morning or evening sun 

 for an hour or two, and where they will be somewhat sheltered 

 from violent winds. Give them only water enough to keep them 

 from withering, and let them rest. They will need no other care, 

 except to prevent their ripening seeds, till about the first of 

 August. At this time, they should be re-potted, into pots about 

 two inches larger than those they are in. This will give an inch of 

 fresh soil all around the old ball, which, for most plants is quite 

 sufficient. If the pots already in use are as large as can be per- 

 mitted, the old ball may be reduced by using a round-pointed 

 stick, till it will admit an inch of soil around it. If there is 

 straggling, long jointed wood which needs to be shortened in, 

 now is the time to do it. 



After re-potting, let the plants remain in the same place for 

 two or three weeks, and then if it is convenient, remove to a 



