Fundamental Requirements of all Plants 27 



Success in any Well-balanced Soil 



Fertile soil is not the deep, dark mystery that it 

 was considered many years ago. At one time it was 

 thought essential to success that every species and 

 sometimes every variety of plant should be treated to 

 a soil prepared under a very exact formula. It has 

 been discovered through experimenting and observa- 

 tion that nearly all plants will thrive equally well 

 when grown in any well-balanced soil, here again 

 showing their adaptability, as in the case of animals, 

 to varying conditions that may be imposed upon 

 them. Any variation from this rule to meet certain 

 requirements of plants is along the line of the texture 

 of the soil rather than of its fertility. 



Constant and Intelligent Care Pays 



Constant attention is the natural expression of 

 love to the object of its devotion. If plants are given 

 loving care, it is generally intelligent care. On a re- 

 cent visit to a friend, the writer discovered a very 

 pretty specimen of Maidenhair fern standing in an 

 ordinary tea saucer on a side table in the dining- 

 room. It was quite near an open east window, (the 

 day being warm), and measured about twelve inches 

 tall and as much wide and was in a relatively small 

 pot (4-inch). Being a very unusual sight and finding 

 in another room several well-grown specimens of 

 other plants, he immediately began to question the 

 lady of the house as to how she obtained such splendid 

 results. Without quoting the entire catechism, it is 

 sufficient to say that the questions might well have 



