38 WINTER GREENERIES AT HOME. 



able notice. Even such careful cultivators as you may 

 sometimes find advantage in their excellent qualities, 

 since "accidents will happen." To say the least, it will 

 be decidedly pleasant, among your many very sensitive 

 friends, to have a few which will not "feel hurt" by a 

 little neglect, and have sufficient stamina for "'rough- 

 ing it " on .occasion. 



8. Other things being equal, choose plants which are not 

 specially noted for their hospitality to insects. You will 

 find a great difference in this respect, though all plants are 

 said to be "given to hospitality," and "without grudg- 

 ing." Some seem to be continually overrun with guests, 

 having become famous, I suppose, for an excellent larder; 

 while others refuse nearly all applications for entertain- 

 ment. As the food of the insects is generally the very 

 life of the plant, and as you claim this for yourselves, you 

 can avoid competition with them only by observing this 

 caution. In any case, you are likely to have opportunity 

 of studying entomology under the microscope. 



9. I suppose that, on the whole, you will prefer plants 

 which will stand by you winter after winter the slow- 

 growing and long-continuing sort. Like old friends, well 

 tried and true, they have a value peculiar to themselves. 

 An English Ivy is now growing on my study table for the 

 tenth winter. It is intimately associated with all these 

 years of my happy home life, and was part of the time all 

 the greenery I had. What a blessing and delight it has 

 been ! But it has become so more and more with every 

 added year, until it seems now very much like one of the 

 family. I shall be glad to keep it as long as I live among 

 the winters. 



10. You will find it necessary to guard against the 

 overstocking of your greeneries, when so many very at- 

 tractive plants are presented for your choice. Begin with 

 a few, concerning which you feel very sure, and increase 

 the number gradually, as you come to a better knowledge 



