WINDOW GARDENING 



541 



regularity of other conditions. Do not allow the room temperature to get 

 above 70 degrees in daytime nor below 50 degrees at night. 



Watering. — The watering of plants is largely a matter of judgment. 

 It is offered as good advice that a plant should be watered when it needs it, 

 and contrariwise not when it does not need it. Water copiously once in two 

 days rather than a little each day, unless the earth has become dried out. 

 This can be determined by tapping the flower pot with the finger nail; a 

 clear, ringing sound will indicate dryness; a dull sound shows a damp 

 condition and water not required. Watering at the roots is not sufficient, 

 strange to say. Plants respond also to a wetting of the leaves. This can 



A Well-proportioned Fern. 1 



be accomplished by turning them half over in a tub and syringing the tops. 

 Do not allow the sun to play upon wet leaves; it may injure them severely. 

 Feeding Plants. — Pot-grown plants respond to "feeding up" — the 

 application once in a while of liquid manure — which is merely stable 

 manure and water allowed to stand a few days and strained. Apply the 

 liquid once a month for two successive waterings. Bone meal worked in at 

 the top of a pot i% slow in its action, but beneficial. There are prepared 

 plant-foods which are valuable and convenient, but more expensive than 

 these two. 



'Courtesy of The Countrysio; Magazine, N. Y. 



