98 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Heliotrope. — This is difficult to transplant, and if taken from 

 the garden in autumn, gives very little satisfaction for winter 

 blooming. The best way is to obtain a young plant in spring, 

 pot it on during the summer, and by October it will be in fine 

 blooming condition. With this plant, as with many others, the 

 more sun and light the more bloom. 



A great cause of the failure to bloom hard wooded plants well in 

 the pai'lor is neglect of them during the summer. Parlor plants 

 are too often, as soon as the weather gets warm, set out on a 

 piazza, or under trees, or in a back yard, exposed to parching 

 suns and drying winds, irregularly watered, and, in fact, generally 

 neglected until autumn comes again. The wonder is how so many 

 survive and wh}' they bloom at all. Let us bear in mind that it is 

 in the summer that these plants prepare for the winter bloom, and 

 that they need care and attention then quite as much as in winter. 



Thus have we given a list of some of the plants suited for win- 

 dow culture. We have purposel}' omitted mention of the different 

 species of Dutch Bulbs, such as Hyacinths, Narcissus, etc. — of foli- 

 aged plants, such as Dracaenas and Begonias, some of which do 

 well — of Ferns, of Ivy, and of the large tribe of succulents, many 

 of which are very ornamental ; also summer blooming plants, — 

 Hoyas, Fuchsias, Vallota, and a host of others. The list is quite 

 long enough for selection. 



We cannot each of us grow all, but each can choose his plants 

 from those mentioned, and with care bestowed understandingly, 

 there is little fear of failure. We trust more attention may be 

 given to this mode of culture, and that, as is already done in Eng- 

 land, prizes may in future be offered for the best specimens of 

 window grown plants. 



Charles M. Hovey, alluding to Mr. Rand's remarks on seedling 

 cyclamens, said that the plant is propagated only by seed. Peo- 

 ple see the fine plants exhibited here, and wish to secure the same 

 variety, but they can do it only by getting the identical plant. 

 They have been propagated by cutting up the bulbs, but such 

 divisions make very poor plants. The seedling plants are likely, 

 but not certain, to be similar in color to the parent. In answer 

 to an inquiry as to the best fertilizer for window plants, Mr. 

 Hovey said that guano was mentioned at a former meeting, but 

 less powerful fertilizers like the Brighton, or other preparations 



