36 



closed, when it may or may not be pushed back into the 

 window. If the window is wholly devoted to floriculture, it 

 can be more easily and saccessfull)^ managed if the window is 

 divided off from the room by glass doors hung on hinges, that 

 may be opened or closed at will; this will keep dust and 

 noxious gases from the plants. And just here we wish to say 

 it is almost impossible to grow plants in a room where coal 

 gas is burnt, unless precautions are taken to protect the plants 

 from the atmosphere while the gas is burning. This is per- 

 haps the cause of most failures in the attempt to grow plants 

 in the house. If the glass doors we have 

 already spoken of cannot be used as we 

 have recommended, then before the gas 

 is lighted lower the curtains or window 

 shades; this will usually prove sufficient. 

 We have already given all necessary di- 

 rections for the treatment of the plants; 

 they will be found in the preceding chap- 

 ters under their respective headings. The 

 extent of the cultivation of plants for win- 

 dow gardening must be governed by the 

 resources of the culturist. If space inside 

 and out is limited, and he cannot remove 

 his plants when out of bloom, he must be 

 contented with such plants as will be or- 

 namental for the longest time. Usually, 

 however, there are windows enough to ac- 

 commodate a large number of plants. One 

 or more of these windows occupy the most 

 conspicuous place or places; in these we 

 certainly want to have our prettiest plants. 

 By exercising our judgment we can have 

 these windows looking admirably all the time: true, 

 it will be at the expense of the windows less favored 

 by position. Yet the effect will be more pleasing, 

 and no doubt more satisfactory, to see one or two 

 windows looking grand than to see five or six looking only 

 moderately fair. When flowering plants are out of bloom 

 transfer them to another place to recuperate, and supply their 

 places with others just coming into bloom. This will require 

 some forethought to have a continued succession of flowers all 

 through the seasons. Gain a knowledge of the time the plants 



REVOLVING PLANT 

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 ^VINDOW. 



