The Window Garden in Winter 
great heat, and by having been breathed over and 
over. In the other, the loss of healthy quality has 
been guarded against by a constant supply of the 
pure article from out-of-doors. 
Pure, fresh air in a room does not mean cold drafts 
or an uncomfortable temperature by any means. 
But it does mean an arrangement by which air that 
is rich in oxygen can he admitted freely whenever it 
seems necessary to do so. Lowering the window a 
little at the windward side will let in enough pure air 
in a very short time to force out all impure air through 
an open door or window on the opposite side of the 
room. By opening the outside hall door and letting 
the hall fill with cold air the same purpose is accom¬ 
plished if, after closing the outside door, we open the 
door between hall and living-room and let the air 
from which the chill has been taken by mixture with 
the warm air of the first room enter and drive out the 
foul air that has accumulated there. Practice one or 
the other of these methods not only every day but 
several times a day, and you will see the plants in 
your windows flourishing as if they were growing in 
the garden beds—provided other care is what it ought 
to be. 
Temperature. —Most persons keep the air of the 
living-room at such a high temperature in winter that 
their plants suffer greatly because of it. The admis¬ 
sion of fresh air, as advised above, will do much to 
counteract the debilitating effects of this practice, but 
a lowering of the temperature is earnestly advised in 
all rooms where plants are kept. Instead of allowing 
the thermometer to run up to 90° or 95° F., aim to 
keep it about 65° or 70°. Such a temperature is 
summer-like, and quite warm enough for comfort 
when one becomes used to it. Discard the idea that 
warmth must be so intense that you feel it constantly 
asserting itself in waves of hot air from radiator, reg¬ 
ister, or stove. The ideal warmth for comfort and 
health is one that you are not all the time conscious 
of. Of course where stove-heat is depended on it 
will be impossible to regulate the temperature per¬ 
fectly, but it can be kept at quite an even figure with 
the exercise of a little attention. We of the North 
need to learn the lesson of moderation in winter 
heating for our own sake as well as for the sake of our 
plants. 
Stir the Soil.— It is an excellent plan to stir the 
soil in each pot at least once a week. This prevents 
its crusting over, and roots up all weeds that may at¬ 
tempt to get a foothold, and, most important of all, 
it allows air to get to the roots of the plants in such 
quantities that the soil is kept sweet. 
When Fertilizers Are Used.— Before applying 
any liquid fertilizer it is always advisable to water 
your plants. The moisture in the soil enables it to 
take up and assimilate the plant-food and conduct 
it to the feeding roots, as it cannot when dry. If 
fertdizers are given in dry form dig them well into the 
soil about the roots of the plants. Some kinds are 
soluble, and will dissolve readily in water. Bone- 
meal, which is a standard plant food, is most effective 
if mixed with the soil, where it will be slowly assimi¬ 
lated. Liquid manure, made by pouring hot water 
over soil from the barnyard, and leaving it to soak 
until the infusion is the color of weak tahle tea is an 
excellent food for nearly all plants. But those living 
in the city will be obliged to depend upon such fer¬ 
tilizers as can he bought at the florist’s or the drug 
store. When you find one that gives good results, 
stick to it. 
Turn Your Plants. —Turn your plants in the 
window at least once a week to give all sides of them 
an equal chance at the light. If this is not done, 
their branches will be drawn toward the glass and 
they will become one-sided and be lacking in that 
symmetry which is one of the charms of a fine speci¬ 
men. No amount of pruning can remedy the diffi¬ 
culty which is the result of neglect. 
Arrangement in the Window. —If your collec¬ 
tion consists of large and small plants, it is a good 
plan to place the large ones at the sides of the window, 
and the small ones in the center. In this way the 
light gets to all of them satisfactorily, and none suff er 
from lack of it, as some must if the large ones are 
allowed to occupy the places near the glass. 
Hanging Plants. —Hanging plants are often total 
failures because they do not get water enough. Be¬ 
ing somewhat difficult to get at, they are neglected. 
If much water is applied a good deal of it will run off 
before the soil has a chance to absorb it, and, as a 
natural consequence, the plant will become very dry 
before more water is given, because of its exposure on 
all sides in a temperature several degrees higher than 
that at the window-sill. I think I am safe in saying 
that nineteen hanging plants out of twenty die before 
they are three months old, and in nearly every in¬ 
stance death is the direct result of lack of sufficient 
moisture at the roots. Give a hanging plant 
all the water it requires and there is no reason why 
it should not grow as well as the plants on the table 
below it. 
I have a plan for watering this class of plants which 
I have frequently described, but its benefits are so 
obvious that I will make mention of it here: Take a 
tin can or cup holding at least a pint and make a few 
holes in the bottom of it. Fill with water and place 
it on the soil of the pot. Watch the result carefully. 
If the holes are too small, or too few, not enough 
water will escape to keep the soil properly moist. 
If too large, or too many, you will find the soil is made 
wetter than it needs to be. A little experimenting 
will enable you to so proportion the supply of water 
to the requirements of your plants that it will he an 
easy matter to keep them in just the right condition. 
The cup or can made use of can nearly always be 
hidden by the foliage of the plants. It is well to 
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