MANAGEMENT OF HOUSE PLANTS. 263 



plants have proper drainage, we should apply water until 

 it runs through the pots and then wait until we can see, 

 from the looks, feel or ring of the pot, that the supply 

 has been exhausted and more water is needed. 



As a rule, if the watering has not been too long 

 delayed, when a space of one inch lias been provided for 

 the purpose, filling the pots to the brim will suffice. Too 

 frequent watering is often a cause of failure with house 

 plants, as the addition of a little water, at short inter- 

 vals, wets the surface soil, and, keeping the air out, 

 causes it to become sour, while it does not penetrate to 

 the roots, where only it is of use to the plants. The 

 chill should at least be taken off from the water, and if 

 it is wanned to 90 or 100 degrees, all the better. 



Liquid fertilizer made from stable manure will not 

 be desirable in the house, but the soluble mineral fer- 

 tilizers can be used, or ammonia water at the rate of a 

 teaspoonful to a gallon of water used once a week will 

 promote the growth and give a good color to the 

 foliage. 



INSECTS AND DISEASES. 



While house plants are troubled with about the same 

 pests as those of the greenhouse, as the conditions are 

 even more unnatural, some of them are still more 

 troublesome. As a rule, the air in a dwelling is dry and 

 the conditions are particularly inviting to the red 

 spider. To lessen the dryness, provision should be made 

 ia some way for the evaporation of water in the room and 

 for the syringing of the foliage upon bright days. Some 

 of the small hand sprinklers should at any rate be used. 

 The thick-leaved plants will be benefited if they are 

 occasionally sponged off with water containing whale-oil 

 soap. 



The same remedies as in the greenhouse will be 

 efficacious here, but some of them, as tobacco smoke, can- 



