I860.] 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



669 



and cleaning the plants, and also for the 

 purpose of moving it back from the window 

 during very cold nights. The flower-stands 

 in common use are altogether unfit for a 

 room ; the surplus water, dead leaves, etc., 

 fall to the floor, injuring the carpet, and 

 giving the room an untidy appearance. The 

 table above described is free from these ob- 

 jections, besides having positive advantages 

 for the successful growth of plants which 

 no ordinary flower-stand can possess. 



All rooms do not possess equal advantages 

 for growing plants. A room with large, 

 high windows, looking to the south, is the 

 best; the next best is one with a southeast 

 or southwest exposure; next, east; next, 

 west; and least desirable of all, one looking 

 to any point north. A large bay window 

 with a southern exposure possesses many ad- 

 vantages for growing plants, quite equal in 

 many cases, and superior in some, to those 

 structures absurdly called ". plant cabinets," 

 unless the latter be intended for the preser- 

 vation of dried specimens, the only purpose 

 for which most of them are fit. A basement 

 window, with a southern expose, will some- 

 times answer tolerably well, but a room in 

 the upper part of the house is always to be 

 preferred. Having secured a table and 

 selected a room, the next thing in order will 

 be a collection of plants; and here we would 

 drop a caution against accumulating too 

 large a number. Plants cannot be well 

 grown anywhere, or under any circum- 

 stances, when crowded together; it is al- 

 ways more satisfactory to grow a few well 

 than to grow many indifferently. In making 

 a list, we name only those which we know 

 to succeed well in rooms, and which are 

 least impatient of neglect and changes in 

 temperature. From our list of annuals given 

 last month may be selected Schizanthus, 

 Lobelia, A/yssnm, Mignonnette, Mathiola, 

 and Ageratum. Of perennials a good selec- 

 tion may be made from the following, taking 

 them somewhat in the order in which they 

 are named : Geranium, (scarlet and sweet- 

 scented,) Primula sinensis, Azalea, Epiphyl- 

 lums, (indeed, the whole Cacti family,) 

 Spiraea Reevesiana and prunifolio, Roses, 

 (such as Hermosa, Agrippina, Kragoeletta, 

 &c.,) Heliotrope, Laurustinus, Bulbs, (such 

 as Hyacinths, Narcissus, Crocus, Ixias, 

 Babianas, &c.,) Calla, Oranges, Lemons, 

 Deuzia gracilis, Weigela rosea, Coronilla, 

 Petunias, Cypripedium insignis, Hoya, (or 

 Wax-plant,) Verbenas, Stevia, Eaphne, Car- 



nations Cape Jasmine, Pittosporum, Salvias, 

 Passiflora, Bouvardia, Fuchsia. We do not 

 recommend the young amateur to make so 

 large a selection, unless several windows 

 are fitted for the purpose of plant-growing, 

 or unless the selection is confined mostly to 

 one plant of a kind. A good selection for 

 a beginning would be a few pots of Alys- 

 sum, Mignonnette, Lobelia, Geranium, Pri- 

 mula, Azalea, Calla, Cacti, Coronilla, Helio- 

 trope Spiraea, Orange, Lemon, Petunia, and 

 some bulbs. It is better to begin in a small 

 way with a few kinds easily grown, and to 

 increase the number and variety as experi- 

 ence and skill are acquired. 



We cannot, of course, within the limits of 

 a single article, give directions for the culti- 

 vation of the plants we have named; we can 

 only add a few brief remarks on their 

 general treatment. One of the most im- 

 portant things to be attended to is watering; 

 the plants should not be allowed to wilt for 

 want of water, but they should not be watered 

 till the surface of the pot becomes dry, and 

 then enough should be given to go entirely 

 through the ball of earth. The plants 

 should be frequently syringed and sprinkled 

 overhead, and kept clean, and free from 

 dead leaves. Extreme changes of tempera- 

 ture should be avoided as much as possible; 

 a moderati ly low temperature is to be pre- 

 ferred in a room to a high one; since, in the 

 absence of a strong and diffused light, too 

 much warmth will cause the plants to grow 

 weak. If the windows have curtains, they 

 should be kept up or drawn aside, and all 

 the sun and light possible admitted to the 

 plants at all times during the day. When 

 the weather is mild, the windows may be 

 thrown up for a while, or a top sash lowered 

 a little. During very cold nights the table 

 may be moved to the middle of the room; 

 and if the plants should unfortunately get 

 frozen, darken the room and throw cold water 

 over them repeatedly till the frost is drawn 

 out and then expose them gradually to the 

 light. In this way we have saved plants 

 when the ball of earth has been frozen as 

 hard as a brick. Room plants should not 

 be brought into the house till the nights get 

 frosty, and while out of doors they should 

 have a sunny exposure. Insects should be 

 looked after, and destroyed on their first ap- 

 pearance; a little attention in this way will 

 keep them free from such pests. 



It has been objected to by some that it is 

 unhealthy to keep plants in rooms; but their 



