40 
MANAGEMENT OF PLANTS IN ROOMS. 
and air, — injudicious watering*,— -filthiness collected on the leaves,— or, being* potted 
in unsuitable soil. 
1. Want of 'proper light and air , — is perhaps the most essential point of any 
to be considered ; for, however well all other requisites are attended to, a deficiency 
in either of these, will cause the plants to grow weak and sickly. Let them always 
be placed as near the light as they can conveniently stand, and receive as much air 
as can be admitted, when the weather will allow. Indeed those persons who have 
no other conveniency than the house to keep them in, will find that they derive 
immense advantage from being, during fine weather, in spring and autumn, turned 
out of doors in the evening, and taken in again in the morning, — the night-dews 
contributing greatly to their health and vigour. 
2. Injurious watering , — does more injury to plants in rooms than many persons 
imagine. To prevent the soil ever having a dry appearance, is an object of 
importance in the estimation of very many ; they therefore water to such an excess, 
that the mould becomes sodden, and the roots consequently perish. — Others, to 
avoid this evil, run exactly into the opposite extreme, and scarcely give sufficient 
to sustain life. This, however, is by no means so common a practice as that of 
giving too much ; for in general, if any thing appears to be the matter with the 
plants, large doses of water are immediately resorted to ; and if recovery is not 
speedy, this nostrum is again administered, with but little doubt of its infallible 
restorative powers : — but such persons, like an unskilful physician who gluts the 
weakly stomach of his patient, only hasten on what they are trying to prevent. 
This overplus of water will show its bad effects by the very dark colour and flabby 
disposition of the leaves ; and if the plant receives too little, the leaves will turn 
yellow, and eventually die. 
The best plan is, to always allow the soil in the pot to have the appearance of 
dryness, (but never sufficient to make the plant flag,) before a supply of water is 
given, which should then be pretty copious ; but always empty it out of the pan or 
feeder in which the pot stands, as soon as the soil is properly drained. The water 
used for the purpose, ought always to be made about the same temperature as the 
room in which the plants grow,— never use it fresh from the pump, — either let it 
stand in a warm room all night, or take off the chill by adding a little warm water 
to it, or the growth of the plants will be much checked. 
3rd. Filthiness collected on the leaves,— may either arise from insects, or dust ; 
the former may be speedily remedied, by placing the plants under a hand-glass, or any 
thing that is convenient, and burning some tobacco until they become well enveloped 
in the smoke ; — and the latter may be removed by occasionally washing them on the 
head with pure water, either by means of a syringe, the rose of a watering- pan, 
or with a sponge, when the filth still adheres. 
4th. Being potted in unsuitable soil , — is by far the most difficult part of the 
business to rectify, for no certain line can be drawn, unless each genus was treated 
on separately ; however, as this cannot be done in a paper like the present, a few 
general remarks, which, perhaps with some little exceptions, may be found to be 
pretty correct, must suffice. 
All plants whose branches are fragile or slender, and roots of a fine thready, 
