892 TEE IIOUSEHbti). 



by spreading the left hand on tbo vessel— tLo stem passing between the 

 fingers, and with the other hand on the bottom invert the pot and give the 

 edge a downward tap against some object. If this does not succeed, pour 

 some water around the edge, and after a short time repeat the operation. 

 All old pots should be clean, and if the new ones are used soak them in 

 water until the pores are filled. A piece of broken vessel is placed over the 

 bottom hole before filling in the jiottiug earth. All the necessary pots, soil, 

 etc., should be abandoned now, that they may be at hand when needed at 

 any time during the winter. 



Select ion of House Plants. — Select fresh, healthy plants for winter cul- 

 ture, for they will repay all the labor yoit bestow upon them by bright flow- 

 ers. The old geraniiims, heliotropes, fuchsias, etc., which have flowered all 

 summer, will be of no value for window gardening, while young plants will 

 soon be covered with buds and flowers. Small plants in small pots are far 

 more desirable for house culture than large plants in such cumbrous pots 

 that it reqiiires a man's strength to move them. 



There are several winter-flowering fuchsias which will continue to bloom 

 from October until May, in beautiful luxuriance, if yoix will only give them 

 a spoonful of " Soluble Pacific Guano " once in two or three weeks, or give 

 it in a liquid form by dissolving a tablespoonful of it in three quarts of hot 

 water. It will also destroy the white worms which are so apt to infest the 

 soil of plants that have not been repotted frequently. At least it proved an 

 antidote with me last season. But if it does not exterminate them, take a 

 piece of unslacked lime as large as a man's fist, and slack it in hot water in 

 an old pail, and when the lime has sunk to the bottom, water the plants with 

 it, and it will make their foliage luxuriant and destroy worms of all kinds 

 The lime can be used over several times. 



Tea roses, if well treated, make lovely plants for winter. Purchase well- 

 rooted plants of Don Sllenef Safrano, Bella, and other varieties, and put them 

 close to the glass and stimulate weekly with weak liquid fertilize i-s; or a 

 JacquemUiot rose wliich bloomed in the summer may be taken up and potted 

 in an eight-inch pot, with the richest compost made friable with sand or 

 sharp grits, cut back all the old wood and pull off every leaf and place it in 

 a frost-proof window, but where the sun shines in well, and you can force as 

 handsome rose-buds as the florists. 



For a small amount of money a collection of winter-flowering plants can 

 be procured; and though they will neither feed nor clothe the body, yet 

 they vnll minister to the needs of the soul, which sometimes hungers, thirsts, 

 and shivers, while the body is luxuriously fed, and clothed in fine raiment. 



Soil fi>r Plants.—Knowng that nearly every lady in the city finds it 

 hard to got manure of the right quality for her plants, I thought this sug- 

 gestion might be of some use to them. Gather up the fallen leaves and 

 put them in an old box, or in some obscure corner where they will not havo 

 to be removed. After getting all you want, pile them in as close quarters as 

 possible, then throw on them all of your dish-water, wash-water, or any 

 water that will help to make them rot. Every week or two take a stick and 

 turn the loaves over, and keep on doing this until they are all rotten, which 

 they will be in a short time, and you will have as good a manure as any 

 florist could want. If you could get the droppings from a cow and put them 

 in an old dish and pour water on them; let it stand for a day or two; tlien 

 take the liquid and pour it around the roots of the plant; it will give it » 



