Even earlier than this, seed of Chinese Primrose and Cineraria should be sown. Plants for 

 winter flowering should be kept in pots all summer, or plants in a proper state must be procured 



from some florist in the early fall. All buds 

 should be taken from plants designed for winter 

 flowering until about the middle of August. After 

 that they may be allowed to grow that we may 

 have early winter flowers. The later the buds 

 are pinched off in the summer, the later will the 

 plants be in coming into flower in the winter. 

 I This is especially the case with Carnations, Chry- 

 santhemums, Bouvardias, Heliotropes, and simi- 

 lar plants. Plants should be brought into the 

 house and placed in position before the winter 

 fires are made, that they may become " wonted" 

 to their in-door life. 



HEAT. Most of our plants are injured by 

 too much heat. For a general collection of 

 house plants, it is not best to allow the thermom- 

 5 eter to be above seventy, and if they could be 

 * kept in a room where the thermometer would 

 usually not range much above sixty-five it would 

 be the better. In the night time fifty is high 

 enough. Give a little fresh air every fine day, 

 and all the sunlight attainable. An effort should 

 be made to give moisture to the atmosphere, for 

 our own good as well as the health of the plants. This can be done in various ways by evapo- 

 rating water ; but when plants are in a separate apartment, like a little green-house, it can be 

 done more conveniently and effectually, although this separate apartment be only a bay window, 

 with glass doors, separating it from the living room. In this place water can be used freely, 

 by syringing, &c., and a moist atmosphere preserved. The temperature, with this arrangement, 

 can be kept lower than 

 would be comfortable in the 

 living room, and the plants 

 are saved from dust and 

 many evils which we man- 

 age to endure and live, but 

 which generally prove too 

 much for the plants 



AIR AND LIGHT. Ev- 

 ery one knows that a plant 

 grown in the dark is weak 

 and colorless ; and if it has 

 plenty of light and little 

 air, while it will have the 

 natural color, it will be 

 slender and sickly. The 

 gardener, therefore, is care- 

 ful to give his green-houses 

 and hot-beds not only light, 

 but air at every convenient 

 opportunity. In winter, he 

 hails a bright, sunny day with delight. 



Plants will suffer from a current 



as their owner would, but both are benefited by an invigorating breath of fresh air. Provide, 

 therefore, for air in some way, especially on pleasant days, and every day, unless the weather is 

 too cold when the mercury registers within 10 deg. of zero. This can be done by opening 



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