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THE COTTAGE GARDEN. 



WINDOW AND ROOM GARDENING. 



THOSE who possess no broad acres to cultivate and cover with flowers, or own 

 neither greenhouse nor large garden, may find much pleasure in growing flowers 

 in rooms. Many plants are happy in this position, but require even closer 

 attention than in the greenhouse, where a more natural atmosphere surrounds 

 them and they are less exposed to draught. It is a great advantage, of course, to have a 

 greenhouse, even quite a small structure, to form a hospital for the plants from the rooms, 

 w hich at times get sickly through dry air, gas, and dust, also to hasten into growth those 

 that have been repotted. Gas, of course, is a great enemy. Even the most vigorous and 

 hard-leaved plants suffer in this atmosphere, and therefore fortunate is the window gardener 

 wdiose roomis lighted in some other way, say by electricity. The effect of this light is to leave 

 uninjured the plant's growth, and even delicate Ferns will preserve their green healthy aspect 

 through the winter when not exposed to the hot drying air produced by gas. It is a thousand 

 times better to grow six things than to attempt to grow a collection, for this is never satisfactory. 

 Much, naturally, depends upon the aspect of the room and attention given to its contents. 

 When windows are opened in the morning for cold draughts to blow upon tender foliage, or 

 the floor is swept without covering over the plants with paper, success will never attend 

 window or room gardening. Light is important. Vegetation will not endure for long in 

 half darkness, and in a light sunny window one sometimes sees plants even brighter than 

 those in the well-appointed greenhouse. 



As a rule, unless the house is in the country, where the air is sweeter and fresher than 

 in the neighbourhood of large cities, chief reliance must be placed upon foliage plants, such as 

 Aralia Sieboldii, Aspidistra lurida and its variegated variety, Araucaria excelsa, Cordyline 

 australis, Dracaenas of sorts, Ficus elastica (the India-rubber plant), some Ferns, Ophiopogon 



