92 WfNBOW GARDENING 
Plants do not thrive luxuriantly in baskets, year after year, with soil or 
position unchanged ; hence, it is well to renew them every autumn, for healthier 
plants will be the result. 
In the summer time, when the rooms are closed against sun and flies, there 
is not light enough to keep the plants healthy, and then they should be hung 
in the shade of the porch or piazza, or under the trees. 
Hanging Baskets, provided with the charcoal and the sponge in the bottom, 
need not have a hole for drainage, for these will supply their place. 
Plants of very watery tissues, usually grown in the neighborhood of ponds or 
woodland streams, will do best in soil transplanted from such location; but ordi- 
nary leaf mould will answer for almost everything. 
It is a good plan to keep a good reserve supply of soil at hand in a heap, ready 
at any time you may desire to make a new basket, fill a new pot, or change the 
plants in either. 
When you are potting the plants into any vessel, press the soil well down 
around the plants, and never use wet soil ; let it be well dried and friable 
Watering should be carefully administered, for few know what to give their 
plants, how to give, or when. An hour's neglect or forgetfulness may blight 
the entire beauty of your basket ; or, again, an overflooding in a hot, dry room 
may cause them to mould. 
Whenever they are watesred the whole of the soil in the pot should be weL 
wetted, and the frequency of watering depends upon the temperature of the air ; 
the warmer the room the more frequently will they need it. Usually once a 
day, in the early morning or previous evening, is suflScient, if the thermometer 
measures 45° to 65°; if over that, and averaging 60° to 80°, twice a day, watei- 
ing moderately, will be suflBcient. In winter time do not apply cold water ; 
either use it of same degree as that of the room, or bring your dish of water in 
the room and let it stand an hour or two before applying. More damage than 
a little is done by applying too cool water, giving the tender plant a severe chill. 
If the surface soil cakes any, break it up frequently, and keep a good watch 
for insects. 
Construction 
The devices for making hanging baskets are nearly endless. Our florists offer 
a great variety of patterns ; our wire manufacturers offer some pretty designs, 
and our pottery and tile merchants have equally attractive models of elegance 
and beauty. Choose anything you like, only we recommend to you not to get 
them too small. We would select nothing less than eleven or twelve inches in 
diameter, and six inches deep. Let the soil be filled in even with the edge of 
the rim, and then rise toward the centre like a small mound. If there are but 
one or two large plants in the basket, cover the surface of the soil with moss, 
which will retain the moisture in the soil, needing watering only at occasional 
intervals ; the moss from trees is not as desirable as that usually found growing 
