1898 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
759 
On the Wing. 
PLANTS FOR THE HOUSE. 
A FEW OLD FAVORITES ; SOME NEW ONES. 
[editorial correspondence.] 
Questions About Plants. —Several in¬ 
quirers have asked, recently, for a little 
advice about Winter house plants. It is 
not difficult to make a fair show, even 
under restricted circumstances, but ama¬ 
teur gardeners often err in being too 
ambitious for their space and location. 
All plants that make a brave show in 
the greenhouse cannot be depended upon 
for equal results in the house. One win¬ 
dow cannot be expected to accommo¬ 
date plants of widely different class. If 
the only available location is light, but 
practically sunless, do not expect a pro¬ 
fusion of flowers. In such a situation, 
foliage plants only should be attempted. 
Carnations, violets and primroses should 
not be expected to flourish in a very 
warm room. A house in which there is 
neither steam heat nor gas is far more 
likely to give good results with ordinary 
house plants than one possessing these 
advantages. 
Bulbous Plants. —Every one likes 
Winter-blooming bulbs, and though their 
season of bloom is not long, they are 
very attractive, easily managed, free 
from insects or disease, and inexpen¬ 
sive. It is now too late to pot bulbs 
with the idea of having them in flower 
by the holidays, or to pot Bermuda lilies, 
which should have been making roots 
for two months past ; but tulips, hya¬ 
cinths and Crocuses will give blooms for 
the latter part of the Winter. 
“ What general planting directions 
would you give for bulbs ?” I asked a 
New York florist. 
“ A mixture of garden loam, sand, and 
well-rotted cow manure is a good com¬ 
post for bulbs. Set hyacinth bulbs about 
half their depth in the soil, but tulips 
should be covered one to two inches. 
For single bulbs of ordinary size, use a 
four-inch pot, or put four bulbs in a 
seven-inch pot. Water well when potted, 
and put in a cool, dark place. Keep 
them there until they have made abund¬ 
ant roots, which will be in four to six 
weeks. To grow the Bermuda lilies, 
select large, heavy bulbs; put about 
three inches of compost on the top of 
drainage crocks, in a seven-inch flower 
pot; place the bulb on this, and cover 
with soil, not filling the pot right up to 
the top.” 
“ Why shouldn’t you fill the pot right 
to the top ?” 
“ Because the lily will form adventi¬ 
tious roots, like that Mexican June corn, 
and you want -to add a mulch for their 
benefit.” 
Bulbs Without Soil. —“Is it possible 
to grow all these different bulbs in 
water ?” 
“ Hyacinths and the Narcissus com¬ 
monly known as the Chinese sacred lily, 
are the only ones commonly grown in 
water. The Narcissus referred to has 
been so widely advertised that it is hard¬ 
ly necessary to describe its culture. The 
hyacinths are put in narrow glasses 
made for the purpose, which have a 
wider cup at the top, to hold the bulb. 
It is well to place the bulb in slightly 
damped sand for a few days before put¬ 
ting in the glass. The bottom of the 
bulb should just touch the water. Un¬ 
til the bulb has made roots about one 
inch long, the glass should be kept in a 
dark place.” 
“ Is ordinary clear glass used for these 
bulbs ?” 
“No, opaque glass is preferable, be¬ 
cause the roots should be in the dark. 
The water may be changed from time to 
time, about two drops of ammonia be¬ 
ing added to the water in each glass. A 
lump of charcoal will aid in keeping the 
water sweet.” 
Varieties of Hyacinths. — “ What 
varieties of tulips and hyacinths would 
you advise for house culture ? ” 
“ Single varieties are, as a rule, more 
satisfactory than the doubles. The small 
Roman hyacinths are the earliest to 
bloom. They should be planted in earth, 
three bulbs in a five-inch pot. They 
may be obtained in white, red or blue, 
and are in bloom long before the large 
Dutch sorts. Among Dutch hyacinths, 
a good selection of singles is the follow¬ 
ing : Blue—Charles Dickens, Czar Peter, 
King of the Blues, and La Peyrouse ; 
white—La Grandesse, Mme. Van der 
Hoop, Grandeur a Merveille, and Baron 
Von Thuyll; yellow—Ida, William III., 
Heroine ; dark red—Pelissier ; pink, Ger¬ 
trude, Lord Macaulay, Norma, Fabiola. 
One may buy unnamed sorts, in the dif¬ 
ferent colors, cheaper than named sorts, 
and they are excellent for bedding; but 
I think the selected ones are safer for 
window use.” 
Tulips and Their Varieties. —“ The 
earliest tulips noted outside are small 
red or white ones ; are they suitable for 
the house ? ” 
“ They are the Due Van Thol varieties, 
which are very early, hence are forced 
by florists who want tulips around the 
holidays. They are small and short¬ 
stemmed when brought into bloom about 
the holidays, and while it is well enough 
to have a few of them, there are better 
sorts.” 
“ What varieties would you recommend 
for the house ? ” 
“ Singles by preference ; a good selec¬ 
tion would include Artus, bright scarlet; 
Chrysolora, golden yellow ; Keizerkroon, 
red and yellow ; Cottage Maid, pink and 
white ; Duchesse de Parma, red edged 
with yellow : Joost Van Vondel, red and 
white.” 
Other Bulbs. —“ What other bulbs 
would be suitable for the house ? ” 
“ Narcissus of the Polyanthus section, 
especially the Paper White ; the Trum¬ 
pet daffodil and jonquil ; Freesias, 
Ixias, Amaryllis, Star of Bethlehem, 
Siberian squill, and Glory-of-the-Snow 
(Chionodoxa Lucillae). Several varieties 
of Oxalis, described as bulbous, though 
really tuberous plants, are excellent for 
Winter.” 
“ How are they treated ? ” 
“ They should be potted, as early as 
possible, in sandy loam, requiring good 
drainage. Put four or five of the tubers 
in a five-inch pot, as they are quite 
small.” 
Flowerinh Plants. —“ How are vio¬ 
lets, roses and carnations for Winter 
house plants ? ” 
“ I wouldn’t recommend any one of 
the three in an ordinary room. I know 
that people sometimes report success 
with them, but the chances are against 
it. Violets might be tried in a room 
with little heat, simply kept free from 
frost, running about 40 to 45 degrees at 
night; but they would not stand an 
ordinary living room. Carnations will 
not stand dry heat, neither arc such con¬ 
ditions suited to roses.” 
“ What flowering plants would you 
recommend ? ’ 
“Cyclamens, Azaleas, Begonias and 
Chinese primroses are all satisfactory. 
The Begonias are so cheap, handsome, 
and easily managed that they are sure 
to give satisfaction. The Semperflorens 
varieties are all excellent for the house, 
free Winter bloomers. Erfordia, with 
clusters of rosy salmon flowers, gives 
good satisfaction in the house during the 
Winter, and outside in the Summer. 
Begonia Vernon and its varieties are 
similarly useful.” 
“ What other types of Begonias would 
you recommend ? ” 
“ The Rex or painted-leaf sorts. They 
give a handsome effect among foliage 
plants.” 
Plants with Ornamental Fruit.— 
The Otaheite orange is recommended for 
the house, is it not ? ” 
“ Yes, it is a very fine thing, showing 
MOTHERS.—Be sure to use “Mrs. Wins¬ 
low’s Soothing Syrup ” for your children 
while Teething. It is the Best.— Ada. 
fruit and flowers at all seasons. While 
thriving in a moderate temperature, it 
doesn’t like a sudden chill or excess of 
water. I have seen specimens which 
were allowed to stay outside during a 
cold Fall rain, being soaked and chilled 
at the same time, and the result was dis¬ 
astrous.” 
“What other fruiting plants would 
you recommend ? ” 
“ The old Jerusalem cherry (Solanum 
Pseudo-Capsicum) which may be grown 
from seed outside, and lifted in the Fall. 
It has bright orange-scarlet fruit. Ar- 
disia crenulata, with bunches of bright 
red berries, and deep green, laurel-lilce 
leaves, is an excellent house plant.” 
Foliage Plants. —Lists of palms and 
ferns suitable for the house have been 
given several times by The R. N.-Y. ; 
these classes include the best selection 
of foliage plants. The familiar Abutilon, 
known to many amateurs as Flowering 
maple, may be included here ; the white- 
edged variety, Souvenir de Bonn, is very 
good. Coleus is often tried in the house, 
but it has an unpleasant habit of drop¬ 
ping its leaves when chilled, and be¬ 
comes very stalky and unhappy-looking 
if in a room where the temperature varies 
greatly. For a northern exposure, with 
poor light, Aspidistra and Bowstring 
hemp are the best foliage plants, e. t. r 
B.&B. 
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$1.00 each. 
—navy blue, garnet or black. Two 
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This store has always aimed to have a 
special flannel waist to sell for a dollar, 
but this one so far surpasses in making, 
material and style, any we’ve ever known 
of for the money, as is a remarkable 
offering. When ordering please send 
bust measure—if to be sent by mail, 
enclose 10c. additional for postage on 
each waist. 
42-inch, 50-cent all wool American 
Dress Goods Fancies 25c. yard—so wide 
and good as you’ll be pleased with soon 
as you see samples. 
Make use of our sampling system—it 
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dress goods buying—such extensive lines 
as include every preference. 
See what fine, nobby plaids, 50c. yard. 
Other plaids 10c. to $2.00. 
Send for the new 250 page picture book 
about the store. 
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Department G y 
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