FLORAL CHEER THE WINTER THROUGH 
FLORENCE SPRING 
House Plants and Friendly Flowers for Window Garden All Winter. Prob- 
lems of Watering and Feeding. Management and Control of Insect Pests 
'■ • .,y WW can resist the temptation of at least a small number 
of growing and blossoming plants in the house during 
| the winter. Sometimes all — or the best — of the sunny 
windows are pre-empted for this purpose by over 
zealous flower lovers, but there must be a golden mean, and 
most of us are willing to spare a really good window or two to 
afford us the enjoyment of a few blossoms and the beauty of 
thrifty foliage. 
The best exposures for our house plants are south, south-east, 
and east. The south windows of our dining-room, through 
which the sun pours all day long, I devote to blossoming plants, 
which add greatly to our pleasure as we gather at meal time. 
I know nothing more cheery than to enter a sunny dining room 
on a winter morning and receive the greeting of the bright blos- 
soms, and would advise devoting at least a window or two in 
this room — of whatever exposure — to the house plants. If 
sunny, you may enjoy a blaze of color. If semi-sunny, grow 
Begonias, Geraniums — which will blossom reasonably— many 
foliage plants, Callas, Ferns, and green-and-white Myrtle (vari- 
egated Vinca) and Tradescantia for the ends of your shelves. 
If practically sunless, Ferns, tiny Pines, Cedars, and Junipers 
from outdoors, Moss gardens, small Palms, and the vines above 
mentioned, will afford grace and beauty. 
Begonias, particularly the different varieties of the 
THE FEATHERY FERN AS AN ACCENT 
Growing things accent the feeling of companionableness, 
which is the key note of every living room worthy of its name 
semperflorens type, will do fairly well in such windows, espe- 
cially if shifted into the sunshine occasionally, for a vacation; 
so do not be discouraged if the only place which can be devoted 
to plants seems unfavorable; but acquaint yourself with what 
will flourish despite apparently depressing surroundings. 
B Y NOVEMBER the house plants have recovered from 
their change from the open, which, by the way, if accom- 
plished scientifically — so to speak — should scarcely affect them, 
and have entered upon their winter career. Our problem now is 
to stimulate them to luxuriant bloom with the accompaniment 
of thrifty foliage, to keep them free from the pests and diseases 
(which are often the result of dust, too little fresh air and 
moisture, and over heated rooms), and to care for them other- 
wise in the most efficient way. Also the nutritive elements of 
the comparatively small amount of soil in the pots become ex- 
hausted before spring and must necessarily be renewed. Ft is 
taken for granted that rich soil, well balanced as to the con- 
stituents, and well pulverized and mixed has been provided, 
and healthy young slips well started, by this time. 
We take in from the garden, for immediate bloom, hand- 
some, well-grown specimens of many annuals in full blos- 
som, which I have never happened to see in any windows 
except my own. It may not be too late to suggest such 
to others. Sturdy, stocky plants of African Marigolds 
will fill a dark window with the appearance of sun- 
shine for some weeks, and, if carefully taken in from 
the garden, hardly a leaf will wilt. Use good sized pots, 
drench with water when the pots are only half full of 
earth, fill and firm, and set in the shade for two or three 
days. Symmetrical plants of double Balsam are easily 
transplanted into the house and are almost as lovely as 
Azaleas; and Sweet Alyssum, late seedlings of Phlox 
Drummondi, Calendulas and Petunias just coming into 
bloom (it is not too late to take in the two latter at the 
end of October or early November) Annual Larkspur, etc., 
may, with care and an abundance of water, be cheated 
into finishing out a long season of bloom after making 
the journey indoors. Throw them all away when they 
begin to get shabby; by that time the “regulars” will 
have become well established. 
W ATERING is the serious detail with house plants. 
It must always be done regularly and with judg- 
ment. Don’t start off somewhere in a hurry some sunny 
morning thinking the plants can wait until you come 
home in the afternoon. One real drying off of the deli- 
cate rootlets and consequent wilting and drooping of 
the tender shoots will often cause more damage to the 
plant than weeks of care can repair. Use tepid water 
and plenty of it and water in the morning before the 
sun is too hot. Give a good drenching but never allow 
the water to stand permanently in the saucers except 
with Callas and the old time Spirea (Astilbe). 
Over-watering is nearly as bad as under-watering. 
Once a week or oftener, spray or sprinkle well to keep 
the leaves free from dust and their breathing pores 
open. If they are placed so that sprinkling is impossi- 
ble without moving them, take a convenient hour or 
two once a week and move them to sink or bath tub 
and give them a thorough spraying; a whisk broom is a 
good utensil for this purpose. 
141 
