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21 
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CULTURE OF HOUSE-PLANTS. 
Thinking a few practical remarks on the culture of 
house-plants may interest some readers of the Cabi¬ 
net, I will give a little of my experience. I could 
have fine thrifty plants, hut not enough flowers in 
winter to suit me ; so I have been studying and labor¬ 
ing until I have at last a prospect of success, even 
against adverse circumstances; the worst being a 
limited amount of “the root of all evil,” as I belong 
to that class of whom a florist speaks as having “ fine 
taste and little money.” And it is for the benefit of 
such persons I write, as I think it is the aim of the 
Cabinet to instruct those who, like myself, have a 
love of all things beautiful, without opportunities of 
enjoyment. 
I have only had five years’ experience with house- 
plants, and, after reading this, no one need be afraid 
to try it. 
My home is in a small village on a high, bleak prai¬ 
rie, without shelter from north winds, and a fearfully 
cold climate. Our house is a frame, plastered, a mere 
shell, and my sitting-room is very small, thirteen by 
fourteen, heated by an air-tight stove; a carpet on 
the floor, and lighted by one south window, three by 
six feet, and a glass door north ; and I do all my own 
housework, and have very poor health. 
Now, could any circumstances be more “ adverse,” 
unless—ah, yes, unless—I had no south window, and 
no post-office, and no “John” to help me. So the 
“moral of this mournful tale” is, no conditions are 
so bad but might be worse. A true love of flowers 
will overcome all obstacles, and the labor they exact 
soon becomes a pleasure. 
A few plants, neatly arranged, imparts an air of re¬ 
finement to a room nothing else can. And the con¬ 
ditions they require are beneficial to our own health. 
Plants need cleanliness, pure, moist air, and sunshine, 
and these are necessary to the enjoyment of vigorous 
health of human beings. Science teaches that plants 
during the day absorb carbonic acid gas, the poison¬ 
ous principle of the air, and give out oxygen, the vital 
principle of life, and it is easy to understand that a 
few plants, not to produce too much moisture, would 
keep the air of a room pure, and therefore be useful 
in a sanitary point of view. 
ISiow about my plants. First, I had them on a table 
in front of the window, but they did not do well; 
some were shaded by others from the sun, though a 
few would bloom. Nothing is so capable of artistic 
effects, in arrangement, as plants, so I set my wits to 
work to improve their surroundings ; to evolve some¬ 
thing out of nothing, as Darwin and Huxley teach. I 
took an old kitchen table, had the legs sawed off till 
it stood fifteen inches from the floor, even with the 
window-sill; the top was sawed off within two inches 
of the frame all round, leaving it three feet long and I 
two wide. Inside of the frame was placed a sheet-iron 
pan two feet and tw o inches long and eighteen inches 
n ide, to hold hot water, a small spout at the corner to 
draw it out, pan fastened in with boards nailed under- ! 
neath. Around the top was nailed edgewise boards five 
inches wide, nicely carved on top edge. Then under 
this, on both endt and front side against the frame, 
were nailed small carved brackets five iuches apart, 
giving a nice finish. Small' holes were made all 
over the top with an auger to let steam up round the 
plants ; a large one in one corner to putin water; the 
whole then stained a walnut color and given two coats 
of varnish, and behold ! a window-garden that would 
cost $10, at least, at stores. 
An old table, a few boards of dry-goods box, with 
the aid of “ John’s” skill in carving, transformed into 
“ a thing of beauty,” and a joy for the present. But 
apart from its beauty, its utility is of more impor¬ 
tance. The side-boards protect pots from cold air of 
the floor, and the hot water gives bottom heat needed 
to make plants bloom in winter, and the steam sup¬ 
plies warm moist air for tops, and counteracts the dry 
heat of the room. I also keep a pan of water on the 
stove. 
Along the window, under the table, I put bright 
oilcloth two yards long and over a yard wide, so I can 
sprinkle tops without soiling the carpet. My husband 
gave me two pairs of window brackets, holding six 
pots, and on these, fastened to frame on upper part of 
window, and two small wooden ones for lower down, 
I put my vines and drooping plants, and with hang¬ 
ing basket of Smilax for centre of top, and my beau¬ 
tiful window-garden of blooming plants for lower 
part, I have a lovely window. 
Now, unfortunately, in this climate these plants 
would not last long at a window in a frame house, 
with the fire gone out on a piercing cold night. This, 
too, I have provided for. A large wardrobe for hang¬ 
ing clothes, standing a few feet from the window, has 
been fixed to hold them nights. I first pasted paper 
all over inside, and tacked newspaper over that, six or 
eight thicknesses, and on inside of doors and outside 
of back, which is drawn a few inches from the cold 
wall, and filled the bottom a foot or more with old 
papers, or folded clothes, to keep out the cold from the 
floor, making it frost-proof even if the fire goes en¬ 
tirely out. It was then filled with shelves to hold 
pots, which does not hurt it, as they are made and set 
in and easily taken out in spring, but I let the lining 
stay. Ladies may object that this is too much trouble, 
but ten minutes will suffice to put in at night, and 
same to take out; and before taking out in the morn¬ 
ing, I can open all the doors while sweeping and dust¬ 
ing, and this ought always to be done for the sake of 
our lungs, while the room gets a good airing and 
cleansing, which could not be done if plants were ex¬ 
posed to frosty air, besides saving time it would take 
to wash or clean them after dust of carpet sweeping. 
And then the pleasure of arranging plants around the 
window each day with new and charming effect. This 
plan, too, saves the trouble and expense of keeping 
fire all night, and the dread lest plants be frozen, and 
keeps one from getting too many, the great error o 
amateurs. 
A few plants well cultivated are a delight, but too 
many makes a toil of a pleasure. Keep no plants 
that will not bloom in winter; it does not pay to keep 
them all winter in the house for next summer’s bloom, 
unless they bloom in winter too. Most all winter 
plants make good bedders, and the old roots will make 
a gorgeous bed all summer. 
To have flowers in winter, I start cutting early in 
spring, or even winter, and give good cultivation all 
summer, keeping all buds pinched off till September, 
and by winter the roots are strong and well estab¬ 
lished, the main thing. 
Give final potting in September, in pots one size 
larger than taken from. Almost all plants bloom 
better in small pots that confine the roots, except a 
few, like the Fuchsia, which must not be pot-bound. 
The hardest lesson to learn is how to water, not to 
give too much or too little. This can only be learned 
by experience, and studying the habits of plants. 
However, it is safer in winter to give too little than 
too much; no plant will do well if the roots are kept 
in a wet, soggy soil very long. The general condi¬ 
tion of soil should be merely moist. If barely enough 
water is given to wet the soil through, the roots soon 
absorb it, and again need water, thus keeping them 
active and healthy. 
I use no saucers, and rarely have water run out of 
pots, and this saves strength of soil from being washed. 
I have tried to make this plain, as it is important. 
Warm water is best in winter, and tepid water for 
sprinkling. 
I use no stimulant, unless a plant is pot-bound, or 
soil poor. Then I use liquid hen manure, very weak, 
and give once a week or so. Some plants, like Ge¬ 
raniums, will not bear it. For . them I use common 
garden soil with one-fourth sand, as they bloom bet¬ 
ter in poor soil; for Iioses a heavier soil, well rotted 
stable manure, and garden soil with a little sand. I 
go to the woods every year and get a supply of 
leaf-mold. This is light and porous ; never packs or 
gets heavy, enabling roots to run easily, and air and 
sunshine to enter, and is splendid for Coleus and Be¬ 
gonias, and all vines and plants wanted to make lux¬ 
uriant leaf-growth; but is too rich for blooming 
plants; and should be mixed with garden soil and 
sand. 
Washing and sprinkling is my remedy for all ills of 
plant life; have no red spider and very few green lice, 
which keep from getting a start, and the scale insect, 
too. 
I paste paper over cracks of window to keep out 
cold air, hut keep a door open a little all day if not 
too cold, and where the air cannot strike plants till 
warmed; this, too, is good for ourselves. 
I use water sparingly on the Calla, the books to the 
contrary, and think it blooms better than with such 
enormous leaves, if the roots are strong aud well con¬ 
fined. I bought two Calla bulbs three years ago, and 
planted them in a box holding two gallons, the last of 
November, and gave plenty water all winter, and such 
large leaves they had in spring, but they did not 
bloom till July, and staid in same box, till, in October, 
they were frozen, every leaf killed. Thinking the 
roots dead, I gave no care for two months, when a leaf 
peeped up. Then the box was brought in the sitting- 
room, and watered a little once in a while ; this was 
about Christmas, and the second week in January 
two large buds started up and kept ahead of leaves 
all winter, each bulb giving three large flowers by 
April, with A r ery small leaves, and the roots had filled 
the box, and were pushing the soil over the toji. That 
gave me the key to the best way to make it bloom. 
In spring, after the leaves die down, I repot in rich 
soil, set on north porch, watering a little all summer, 
enough to keep roots growing without top growth ; 
by winter the pot is full of roots, and the plant ready 
to bloom. 
Shade is recommended for Begonias, but one I had 
on a bracket last winter, in full exposure to sunshine, 
bloomed better than others in shade. It was IJybrida 
Multiflora, and its waxy scarlet flowers are splendid. 
The Geraniums, though old-fashioned, are among the 
very best winter-bloomers, very healthy, and never 
troubled with insects, and if right varieties are ob¬ 
tained, and small pots used, will bloom all the win¬ 
ter. 
I have General Grant, rich scarlet, Jean Sisley, 
and Master Christine, all good for winter, and a white 
with scarlet eye, that beats all to bloom; and my 
beautiful Roses, more trouble than all the others, aud 
more loved ; one flower will repay for all care taken 
for them. Mrs. B. B. N. 
