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73 
THE CULTIVATION OF HOUSE 
PLANTS. 
In order to grow Geraniums, Salvias, Camellias, 
Poses, and Primroses successfully, a temperature of 
sixty to sixty-five degrees for the day, and about 
fifteen degrees lower at night, is necessary. 
This temperature is not warm enough for the 
more tender plants, Coleus and Begonias. For this 
reason I reserve my Begonias for my hanging-bas¬ 
kets, as the air of the room is some degrees warmer 
near the ceiling. Nothing can be more beautiful 
than a Begonia in full bloom, especially those hav¬ 
ing ornamental foliage. 
In order that Begonias may attain their fullest de¬ 
velopment they must have plenty of moisture, and 
with a little care this is easily obtained. 
I have a Begonia Maculata in a hanging-basket, 
one of whose leaves measures over & foot in 
diameter. 
A pretty banging-basket may be made by tak¬ 
ing a common five-pound starch-box, and, after 
least two-thirds well-rotted cow-manure to one part 
leaf-mould and sand. While in bloom they need 
plenty of water, but after the blooming season is past 
Wire Railing of Window Garden. 
they must be dried off and given a two or three 
months’ rest. They will do well in a cellar during 
Granite Castle. 
cleansing it carefully of all paint, sand-paper 
it until it is perfectly smooth. Then with 
an ivy-leaf laid on a piece of paper draw a vine, 
and prolong it until it will go around the box. 
Cut this vine carefully out of the paper and 
paste it on the box, being careful tliat the edges 
of the paper are securely fastened. With a 
brush now stain the box a black-walnut color, 
and after it is dry remove the paper. You will 
have a pale, cream-colored vine on a dark 
ground; give the box two coats of varnish, and 
you will be surprised at its beauty. It will re¬ 
semble the most costly inlaid work. Before 
staining the box it should have a narrow mould¬ 
ing nailed around its top. Suspend the box by 
copper wire from picture-screws fastened in 
each corner of it. Wooden boxes are prefer¬ 
able to terra-cotta hanging-baskets as they do 
not dry out so soon. Bore a few holes in the 
bottom for drainage. 
Fuchsias are very satisfactory plants for the 
house, as with two or three large plants one need never 
be without blossoms. They require very rich soil, at 
strength of the plant lies in the small white fibres of 
the roots, and these are apt to be broken in removal. 
Roses must also be grown in the pots where they 
are to bloom, as their roots are tender. The Eupa- 
torinm is a plant that will bear hard usage. It re¬ 
quires plenty of pot-room and a great deal of water ; 
in return it will grow luxuriantly. During the sum¬ 
mer months keep pinching the ends of the branches 
to make it grow bushy, as it only blooms upon the 
extremities of the branches. It has small white 
blossoms and is very fragrant. 
I have a great variety of plants growing in our 
sitting-room; most of them were raised from seed or 
cuttings. I usually start all cuttings in a bowl of 
sand. I use only cuttings of the new wood that will 
break readily. It takes about a week to root most 
cuttings, and during this time I keep the sand very 
wet. The room is heated by a coal-stove, and the 
fire is never suffered to go out. 
Early in the fall, as a precaution against sudden 
changes of temperature, I paste wall-paper, with the 
white side out, over every crack and crevice in the 
window; this keeps out every draught of air. One 
FeYnery. 
the winter months, if you have not room for them 
elsewhere. They can be readily grown from slips. 
The Heliotrope is a very pretty plant for the winter, 
m s 
ssi 
Fairy Castle. 
but it must be grown in a pot throughout the sum¬ 
mer, as it is a very difficult plant to move. The 
Mswati! 
Shell Ornament for Aquarium. 
who has never tried this will be surprised at the 
additional warmth of the room ; if your paint is 
white, use wall-paper; if it is grained, takebrown 
or yellow wrapping-paper as near the color of 
the paint as possible. 
Many persons find it difficult to grow Carna¬ 
tions successfully in the house, as the buds 
shrivel in the dry, hot atmosphere of most sit¬ 
ting-rooms; this may be prevented by wrapping 
a damp newspaper around the plant at night 
and taking it off in the morning. The red 
spider, that pest of Carnations, will be effec¬ 
tually destroyed by this means. There are 
three other insects which infest many house- 
plants : the aphis or green fly, the scale-bug, 
and the mealy-bug. The aphis is the most com¬ 
mon, and is easily destroyed by syringing the 
plants with a decoction of tobacco-water. An 
easier way for those who have conservatories will 
be to set a pan of coals on a couple of bricks, and 
bay a few leaves of tobacco on the coals; the 
smoke will destroy the aphis very quickly. 
Glencoi?, Cook Co., III. Ida I. Law. 
