2l8 



HOUSE PLANTS 



old-fashioned chest for the shrubs. Actual 

 cash outlay fifteen cents a plant! After 

 the ether treatment the plants were subject 

 to all the discomforts that commonly fail 

 to the lot of house plants during winter. 



"The old-fashioned chest, with dovetailed 

 corners and double boards on the sides and 

 bottom, was lined with heavy paper and all 

 suggestions of cracks v>^ere filled with putty. 

 The lid was removed, and the chest was 

 placed upside down on the cellar floor and 

 banked around with earth. A hole was 

 drilled for the funnel through which the 

 ether was poured. Inside was a sponge and 

 a small basin under the sponge to hold the 

 ether, while the sponge continually soaked it 

 up and aided evaporation. This chest con- 

 tained about fifty-six gallons space and we 

 used four ounces of ether for the dose — that 

 is the approved ratio. The hole was tightly 

 plugged after the funnel was withdrawn. 



"We chose for our experiment two azaleas, 

 Vervaeniana, and Simon Mardner; two 

 lilacs, Marie le Gray and Charles X.; two 

 deutzias. 



"November 4th the plants arrived from 

 the nursery. They were potted at once in 



