$de it cukes' SPlaral 6a£i*iet «lh 3 Pictorial Some feomjmnioii. 
SOMETHING ABOUT PLANTS. 
Naturally, I have quite a love for plants, and dur¬ 
ing the last four years circumstances have caused that 
love to develop into a grand passion. The circum¬ 
stances were these: 
One morning, about four years ago, I realized the 
fact, which my friends had realized for some time pre¬ 
vious, that I had a disease about me which would 
render me an invalid for life and that my life might 
stretch over many years. Only those who have been 
in like distress can even imagine the extreme bitterness 
which mingled with all my thoughts that morning. 
At length I resolved that my living should not be 
wholly disagreeable to others as well as to myself, and 
that the way to help myself overcome the fretfulness 
and general disagreeableness incident to sickness was to 
keep the mind fully occupied with other thoughts than 
of self. I caused my sick-room to hold as many plants 
as it had places for, and obtained works uporr plant- 
life, thus studying their individual needs. I soon found 
that while I ministered to them they gave happiness 
to me in tenfold measure. 
This year I have been able to cultivate them out of 
doors as well as indoors ; and while remembering the 
days of pain they have helped me so much to bear in 
a less fretful way, I thank the Giver of all good things 
that He gave us plants and gave me a sense of appre¬ 
ciation of their wonderful life and beauty. 
Very many people who came into my room said to 
me, “ I don’t wonder you are sick, with so many 
plants about you!” How could I explain to such 
what they were to me ? How much of happiness and 
consequent health they gave me? They ought to have 
known as well as I that only flowers, stems and 
leaves which are decaying give out poisonous gases. 
I was careful to have all such picked off and to keep 
the plants in a perfect state of health. 
I think that vegetation is a sure index of the health¬ 
fulness of a room; where that will flourish the human 
life will flourish, too, and, vice versa. 
On the stove was always a shallow dish which was 
kept full of water, thus providing a moist atmosphere; 
once a week every plant had a bath in warm water. 
This is very easily accomplished by fitting a damp 
cloth over the earth to prevent its shattering off; while 
holding the cloth firmly the pot can be tipped in any 
position desired. If any should become infested with 
any of the many plant enemies — which is very seldom 
—dip them in a strong tea made of tobacco leaves; 
this will give their foliage a bright, fresh greenness, 
besides killing insects. 
Three years ago I sent to a florist, for a small quan¬ 
tity of tobacco seed, and since it has sown itself, and, 
if let alone, a sufficiency for such purposes will grow 
and mature. Gathered before the frosts come and 
placed “ up attic,” one need never dread the care of 
plants. 
Those which have rough leaves and stems, like 
Chinese Primroses, showy-leaved Begonias, and some 
Coleus, do not like “ dipping ; ” so the dust can be 
blown off such. Just here I must tell you how I suc¬ 
ceeded with Chinese Primroses, both plants and seeds. 
Last spring I sent to a florist and obtained three dif¬ 
ferent varieties, and after potting them, seemed to do 
well until at the end of two weeks I noticed that they 
were decaying at the tops. I never had seen any¬ 
thing like it before, so I went to books for information, 
and I concluded it must be that mildew had attacked 
them. 
I dosed them with sulphur, both plants and earth, 
but all proved of no avail, and in about two months 
after getting them they were all dead. 
Determined not to be beaten in that way, I then pro¬ 
cured a package of seeds containing mixed varieties, 
and sowed every seed, as I supposed I should probably 
have only a few plants from all. When I wish to 
germiuate choice seed, I fill a box about six inches 
deep with soil composed of one-third part each of good 
garden soil, which has been sifted to free it from all 
stones, and dirt found in decayed apple trees, and fine 
cow manure; to this mixture I add enough sand to 
give it a slight sandy appearance. On this I place 
my seeds, sift just enough soil over to cover them— 
they are of quite good size—and water with warm 
water until the earth is soaked ; place a glass over the 
box, and set it on the top of the sitting-room stove. 
I did this way with my Primroses, and in a week they 
began to show their tiny leaflets; the next day I re¬ 
moved them to a sunny window and took off the glass, 
remembering to replace it evenings to remain over 
them until the next morning. 
Plant after plant showed itself, and as fast as any 
of them attained their fourth leaf, I transplanted them 
into the same kind of soil with more sand added. 
When the weather was warm enough, I put the pots 
out in the garden under a tree, and there they have 
lived and flourished all summer; this fall they were 
transplanted where they were to grow through the 
winter, and finding I had no room for all, curiosity 
prompted me to count them, and I found there were 
sixty-eight. 
Many of them have gone into other homes to cheer 
our northern winter-life, but I took good care that 
they all went where they would be well cared for. I 
never had plants of any kind do better, and I found 
them very tenacious of life under adverse circum¬ 
stances, have crowded them in among other plants, 
and have them alone, and either way they do equally 
well, always remembering, however, that they do not 
like the full blaze of the sun, art impatient of heat, and 
do not like water on the leaves or stalks. At present 
more than two-thirds of mine are budded, and many 
of them are just ready to expand into full bloom. 
I think that the best success is had with all choice 
plants outside of a greenhouse, when they are raised 
from seeds, or cuttings rooted in the same house where 
they are to be grown. Then they have the same air 
from the commencement of their lives. 
Cuttings of Verbenas must be rooted and started in 
September to insure an abundance of bloom during the 
winter months. They, too, like a very sandy soil, but 
little water and all the sun they can possibly get. 
Fuchsias seldom get as much richness of soil as they 
like ; they are capable of attaining great size, and will 
grow fast and bloom abundantly eight months of a 
year if given very rich soil and manure ; water as often 
as once a week, always remembering to provide plenty 
of water for them to drink. 
After the season of bloom is past, they want rest and 
will provide it for themselves by refusing to put forth 
new leaves, and look much as sleepy children do 
when forced to stay awake—very uninteresting. 1 put 
mine down cellar—the Fuchsias, not the children—the 
first of November, and water the earth while they are 
there only enough to keep them from drying out ut¬ 
terly, and bring them to the light and heat the middle 
of January. 
I wish I could induce every woman to have just a 
few plants, if no more than a few can be taken care of 
well. Their growth is a curiosity, and if one cares 
for them, one notes the minutest and most delicate 
changes of leaf, bud and blossom, and thus they not 
only fill the mind with other carean s th those of life’s 
daily routine, but they must elevate the thoughts— 
lead their owners to think of the Creator’s creative 
power and goodness. Who, other than He, had the 
skill to plan such variety ? 
A Fernery, after it is filled, is very little care and 
trouble. I put a thick layer of dry moss in the bot¬ 
tom of mine for the purpose of absorbing all super¬ 
fluous moisture; above this, small pieces of wood coal 
to the depth of an inch, and over this the soil, in which 
can be planted Achyranthes, Begonias, Ivies, any and 
all pretty creeping vines from the woods, Coleus, Ferns, 
and almost all tender kinds of plants. 
Have the glass case fit tightly ; give air by raising 
this case about ten minutes each day, and give water 
only when no moisture gathers on the glass, which lat¬ 
ter case will not occur oftener than three or four weeks. 
If the plants cannot have the sun they do not mind, 
but keep on flourishing, blooming and thanking their 
owners for giving them such nice, comfortable quarters 
during the chilly months when their out-of-door com¬ 
panions are forced to cover up their heads lest Jack 
Frost should behead them some night. 
Another combination of plants, whereby space and 
care are economized, is to put many in the bowl of a 
rustic stand, or, having had a tinsmith fit to the top 
of some old stand a zinc pan, arrange them in that. 
If casters are on the feet of the stand it can be easily 
moved to suit the convenience of its owner, and by 
pushing into the soil four small sticks, each a little 
taller than the tallest plants, newspapers can be read¬ 
ily placed over the whole on those cold nights when 
protection is needed. Nothing equals paper for that 
purpose. If any of my pets are particularly tender, 
I enfold each separately, then placing all together, 
enclose them in one immense paper covering. 
Glazed pots are the only kinds I use; they are al¬ 
ways clean-looking, while the unglazed require much 
washing to keep them presentable, and those which 
are painted, however handsome they may be at first, 
in a year or two become unsightly objects. I think 
any particular kind of plant-holder is not essential to 
their well-being. 
I always insure good drainage by the use of wood- 
coal broken into bits, and think it preferable to any¬ 
thing else, as, if too much water should chance to re¬ 
main in the soil, it corrects any acidity that may occur. 
All plants need iron in the earth from which they derive 
their life ; a small quantity of refuse iron chips or fil¬ 
ings, which any blacksmith will be glad to have taken 
from his shop, dug into the top soil will assist them 
much to put forth vigorous, healthy-looking leaves, 
and will deepen and intensify all the hues of colored 
flowers. 
K Tour voiceless lips, O flowers, are living preachers, 
Each cup a pulpit, and each leaf a book.” 
A. D. 
Cypress Seed.— Every person that has ever 
planted Cypress seed knows that it takes a long time 
for it to germinate, and it frequently does not come 
at all, especially if the ground is not kept very moist. 
My method of sprouting it is a very simple and suc¬ 
cessful one. I take a large spoonful of cold coffee 
grounds and put them in a cup, then sprinkle the seed 
over these grounds, and cover them with coffee grounds, 
and in from two to four days the seed will all be 
sprouted, when they can be planted out, and they will 
grow rapidly. I have used this plan for years. 
Mary B. McMillin. 
