House-plants 



avoid contact with other plants. The Bougainvillea, 

 also, does better on a bracket, being of a trailing 

 habit. It is not, however, a good winter bloomer, 

 usually coming in late in March and continuing until 

 December, but it is very reliable during that time and 

 requires less care than any house-plant with which I 

 am familiar, unless it be the Araucaria. 



See that all shelves are securely fastened, and strong 

 enough to sustain the weight to be placed upon them. 

 The additional protection of a small brass chain 

 fastening the outer edge of the shelf to the window- 

 casing above it will ease the strain on the brackets and 

 give greater security. 



See that all hanging-baskets are securely hung with 

 copper wire, and that there is no danger of the hooks* 

 from which they are suspended pulling out. 



Do not start in with a number of plants the require- 

 ments of which are entirely unknown. Where con- 

 ditions for their proper care are not obtainable it will 

 be wiser to content one's self with familiar plants of- 

 fering a reasonable hope of success, as Geraniums, 

 Hyacinths, or Primroses. A healthy, vigorous plant, 

 however common, is preferable to a sickly one, be it 

 ever so rare. 



A fair degree of atmospheric moisture should be 

 maintained by keeping a dish of water on stove, 

 register, or radiator. Where bulbs are grown a 

 healthy degree of humidity is secured by evaporation 

 and transpiration as shown by moisture gathering on 



