CHAPTEK XV 



INDOOR PLANTS 



Window Gardens. — Any home or school-room may be 

 made more enjoyable by the use of plants grown in pots on 

 tables, shelves, window-sills, or in racks and baskets sus- 

 pended from above. Houses of rich and poor alike are hand- 

 somely adorned by well-grown window gardens. For people 

 without yards, and for all in the winter season, a window 

 garden is a great luxury. House plants, either in the home 

 or in the school-room, add much to the beauty, contentment, 

 cheeriness and interest. The time and attention required 

 to keep a choice collection of house plants in thrifty condition 

 is small compared with the pleasure gained. The choice 

 location is near the bright sunlight of a large south window 

 for geraniums,, coleus, fuchsia and the heat-loving plants, 

 but there are a number of house plants such as ferns, pansies, 

 English ivy, umbrella plant, oleander, and some of the bulbous 

 plants that do as well by the north window, and in the cooler 

 parts of rooms. 



For the beginner, the best plan is to start with a very 

 few plants at most. Try a geranium or two, or an umbrella 

 plant, or a few bulbs, or an English ivy. After some experi- 

 ence and success have been attained, a larger collection may 

 be tried. 



Flowering plants of many kinds may be kept in the win- 

 dows constantly or throughout the winter season. Tea roses 

 and their hybrids, geraniums, fdchsias, begonias, lantanas, 

 oxalis, amaryllis and sweet violets are among the perpetual 

 bloomers of the perennial type. 



Annual-flowering plants commonly grown to blossom in- 

 doors are: Cyclamen, gloxinia, primula, cineraria, crysanthe- 

 mum (Fig. 99), carnation (Pig. 100), and others. 

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