282 



HOME AND FLO WEBS 



plants, but I liave a liiindred and fifteen 

 housed now and plenty of room left. 

 Some of them are very large, too. 



I ventilate by raising the upper sash 

 three inches or less, and this is as much 

 as the height of the building will allow, 

 the roof being immediately under the cor- 

 nice of the house, and following its slope 

 at a less angle. I was sorr^^ not to have a 



FIG. II FIG. Ill 



glass roof, but could not on account of 

 the walnuts dropping in the fall. 



We did not take out the corner of the 

 house, but tacked this on strongly. At 

 some later day we shall build a wall under 

 the conservatory, similar to that under 

 the house, and cover it with creepers. 

 The two chamber windows which were en- 

 closed we took out and they are to serve 

 as an outer sash this winter. As the 



shades are still in place we can shut out 

 the outside gaze as well as ever. From 

 the conservator}^ itself there is a fine view. 

 As will be seen, leaving the corner iataet 

 enables me to have extra shelves against 

 the house, besides reflecting the light. 

 These extra shelves, and the plant brack- 

 ets between the windows afford ample 

 room. 



A friend gave me the galvanized iron 

 tank which is 4x4x1 and holds a large 

 amount of water. It rests on an open 

 stool fifteen inches high, which allows a 

 small oil stove to be placed under the tank 

 and a pail under the faucet. I also ex- 

 pect it will temper the air to a large ex- 

 tent. 



It is supplied with water from the 

 chamber roof, which we have never been 

 able to use before on account of the ar- 

 rangement of the house, and has been con- 

 stantly full. The overflow is provided for 

 by a waste pipe wliich starts near the top 

 of the tank and goes down through the 

 floor, all in the little jamb at the west side. 



WHAT TO DO IN FEBRUAEY 



AT this season, plants which have suf- 

 AA fered from the many ills that plants 

 are heir to during the months of late 

 fall and early winter will, as a general rule, 

 be making a brave effort to forge ahead. 

 They should be given all the assistance 

 possible. Let them have fresh air on 

 pleasant days. G-ive. them the benefit of 

 all possible sunshine. To those which 

 have begun to grow apply fertilizers which 

 will assist them in making a vigorous and 

 healthy development. But do not make 

 the mistake of applying them too gener- 

 ously. Begin mth small doses, and in- 

 crease in strength as the plant increases 

 in growth. 



* * * 



Plants infested with insects can not do 

 good work. We have no right to expect 

 them to. What we should do is to make 



a prompt and vigorous effort to relieve 

 them of tliis hindrance to satisfactory de- 

 velopment. I know of no insecticide so 

 reliable, and so easily prepared, and so 

 cheap, as the Ivory soap solution I have 

 heretofore advised in this department. 

 By its use the aphis can be completely 

 routed. 



* * * 



There will be more or less priming to 

 do, as plants develop, in order to preserve 

 proper symmetry. Save every cutting 

 and grow a plant from it for use in the 

 garden next summer, or one for next win- 

 ter's use, if the old one seems to have out- 

 lived its usefulness. Most cuttings will 

 grow readily if stuck in the soil about the 

 plant from which they were taken, but a 

 surer method of rooting them consists in a 

 shallow vessel of coarse sand, which 



