54 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



Pacific to the Atlantic. Lumber, too, is trans- 

 ported by rail hundreds of miles for building 

 and manufacturing purposes, and lands that a 

 few years ago were of no value, are now in 

 the market. 



Within the present century, a family from 

 Worcester County, consisting of a father, 

 mother, and two sons, built them two wagons, 

 and transported themselves and their worldly 

 gear to West Tennessee, and were seventy 

 days on the way. The journey might now be 

 accomplished in five days, at less than it cost 

 to build the wagons. These rapid movements 

 of produce, stock, and lumber, not only in- 

 crease the value of land, but increase emigra- 

 tion and bring the land into demand. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 WINDOW QABDENINQ. 



We hope that all the readers of the ever 

 attractive Farmek have made arrangements 

 for a window garden, be it ever so small. 

 Three or four pots of flowers that will bloom 

 several months, during the dark, cold winter, 

 will aflford an incredible amount of pleasure 

 to their owner. To be sure they require daily 

 care ; a neglect of a few days will greatly in- 

 jure them. We have had practical illustra- 

 tions of this fact the past week, when an un- 

 avoidable absence of a week or more, during 

 which our household pets were intrusted to 

 the hands of hirelings, has resulted in the loss 

 of several of our cherished tender darlings. 



During December plants require but little 

 stimulant, but must gather strength for the 

 remainder of the season. The)? must have 

 their season of rest as well as animals, and if 

 they have bloomed in the summer months, they 

 cannot be expected to bud and blossom at the 

 commencement of the winter. We have given 

 many directions concerning the treatinent of 

 "window gardens;" but "line upon line, and 

 precept upon precept" are required, unless 

 one possesses an inborn love for their culture, 

 and makes it a study. Any one can make a 

 plant grow rapidly by watering it with a weak 

 decoction of guano water, (one tablespoonful 

 to one gallon of warm water,) applied once 

 or twice a week ; but it is another thing to 

 grow a plant in perfect shape and condition. 



More than half of the "window gardens" 

 now scattered throughout New England will 

 show scraggy, scrawny plants, which an expe- 

 rienced florist would discard as worthless ; or 

 else would prune and trim with careful hand, 

 until we should consider them ruined, dwarfed 

 almost leafless plants — not quite so, however, 

 for their leaves are its lungs, — and they must 

 not be entirelytcut off. If they fall ofi it is 

 another thing ; for the roots set to work di- 

 rectly to put forth new ones ; as we see in the 



case of roses and fuchsias, &c., which hav^ 

 been kept down cellar for a few months, and 

 when given light, warmth and moisture, bud 

 forth anew in fresh vigor and beauty, greatly 

 enhanced by the period of rest they have en- 

 joyed. 



So take your ill-shaped plants, dear friends, 

 and give them a six or eight week's sleep in a 

 dry, frost proof cellar. Then prune with an 

 eye to graceful shape ; water, — not too plenti- 

 fully — with warm water, occasionally mixed 

 with guano or hen manure, and our word for 

 it, by March you will call in your neighbors 

 to behold their beauty and glory. 



The variegated leaved plants require a sea- 

 son of rest, and will give you finer foliage an- 

 other season if allowed to enjoy it. 



Scarlet Zonale Oeraniums and all their va- 

 rieties of cherry, pink, salmon and white, are 

 the most desirable plants for house culture, 

 because they are never infested by insects. 

 They require but little care and will bloom 

 ten/nonths out of twelve. Plants of a year's 

 growth do better in-doors than those of greater 

 age. A well shaped geranium in full bloom 

 is a lovely sight. At this season the plants in 

 pots should be frequently turned around. 

 The stems naturally incline towards the sun, 

 which does not usually favor us with much of 

 his light, and by stretching out their leafy 

 arms to receive its strengthening beams, they 

 become distorted and spoiled. Twice a week 

 at least, every pot should be moved and the 

 saucers brushed out. It is very needful to 

 have "house cleaning" in our "window gar- 

 dens" once a week or fortnight, — the former 

 is preferable.- The pots should be washed in 

 warm soap suds, and scrubbed with a brush to 

 cleanse them thoroughly from the green mould 

 which closes up their pores. One sees pots in 

 a greenhouse covered wiih this same mould, 

 and yet the plants are in full flower, but the 

 greenhouse is heated by steam and the planis 

 are daily aired, while in a parlor the air is 

 close and dry and the roots require all ihey 

 can breathe in, when it is fresh. Unclean pots 

 are one cause of failure in the culture of 

 house plants. Fresh air is another. We have 

 written so often upon this theme that it would 

 seem as if all our friends must be aware of 

 its necessity. Throw open the windows every 

 noon while the air is at its highest tempera- 

 ture ; do not let ice-cold air fall directly upon. 

 the tender plants ; but give it free circulation 

 throughout the room ; keeping a brisk fire in 

 str>ve, furnace, or far better, in the glowicg 

 fire place of wood, not coal. 



If plants are kept in the kitchen, the fre- 

 quent opening of the outside door, will freshen 

 them, and the moisture arising from the cook- 

 ing on the stove will be very conducive to 

 their health. We have seen more thrifty and 

 vigorous plants in a farmer's wife's kitchen 

 than in a gorgeous parlor in Boston. Fresh 

 air and moisture produced the results. If the 

 kitchen grows cool at night, place the pots in 



