WINDOW GARDENING 



193 



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 is slow in its action, but beneficial. There are prepared 

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

 these two. 



1 Courtesy of The Countryside Magazine, N. Y. 



