HOUSE PLANTS. 
91 
moderate amount of heat, sun, and moisture, are absolute es¬ 
sentials to their successful culture. These conditions should 
he as carefully observed with one plant as with a hundred; 
as a single pot or basket in good order with healtliy-looking 
green leaves, even if without blossoms, is a much more 
agreeable sight than a consumptive window garden. 
No plants should have as much heat at night as they 
have during the day, from ten to twenty degrees being the 
proper difference in temperature. “ Plants, like the ani¬ 
mals, sleep or rest at night, and neither rest nor sleep well 
in a temperature such as they require in the daytime. The 
less light , the less heat consistent with the nature of the 
plant , is a safe rule to go by.” 
On the other hand, plants in a room where there is no 
heat at night, and in an exposed situation, are in danger of 
freezing. This can generally be avoided by protecting 
them with newspapers, which should be so arranged as to 
keep out all draughts from the windows. Double curtains 
may be made by tacking them together at the edges, and 
these by being placed between the window and the plants 
in very cold weather, day as well as night, will effectually 
keep out the frost. 
Another plan to protect plants at night is to place them, 
before the room has become cool, in a compact form on the 
floor or the table, and then encircle them with a stiff board 
paper, such as is used for building purposes, of sufficient 
width to inclose the plants, making a top of the same ma¬ 
terial, or covering with carpets and blankets, also laying 
cloths around the lower edge of the paper. Shielded in 
this way, the plants will remain unharmed when water 
freezes in the room. 
Although ventilation is very desirable, plants should 
never be aired in winter by letting a draught blow on them, 
or over them, even on mild days, as this is always an in¬ 
jury, and sometimes a fatal one. 
