76 Milady's House Plants 



Watering 



The rule for watering Geraniums and all other 

 flowering plants is just the same as that previously 

 given for foliage plants. Assuming that the pots 

 are of proper size, four inches or five inches in diameter 

 being amply large for the average window plant, and 

 that the soil has been well firmed and that proper 

 drainage has been provided, l;hen it is almost im- 

 possible to injure the plant by ^ving too much water. 



The Grotoing Period 



The term "during its growing period" has been 

 mentioned and refers to the extreme activity of 

 every plant or tree during the long bright days of 

 Summer. Plants in the tropics, where there is little 

 difi'erence in temperature between seasons, are al- 

 ways evergreen. In northern latitudes the difi'er- 

 ence between Summer and Winter is extreme both in 

 temperature and sunlight and the change that takes 

 place in the plant world is most marked. Always 

 light and warmth and growth go together and for the 

 same reason we associate darkness, cold and rest. 



House Gardening in Midwinter 



The above facts disclose an obstacle to perfect 

 success in house gardening in Midwinter that is al- 

 most insuperable. During the dark days of De- 

 cember and January, conditions in the house conflict 

 entirely with nature and instead of the temperature 

 being lowered to correspond witk the shortened days, 

 it is kept at Midsummer heat of 75° to 85° day and 

 night. If the temperature in which flowering plants 



