38 
HOUSE & GARDEN 
STOCKING A SMALL CONSERVATORY 
The Pleasures of an Indoor Garden — Flowering Plants and Shrubs That Do Well— 
Some of the More Democratic Roses — Approximate Prices 
I N stocking the conservatory, even a 
miniature one, the greatest possible 
variety of plants will usually be desired. 
Range of temperature and light, rather than 
room, is usually the factor which limits the 
number that may be successfully grown. 
Where practicable, a light glass partition 
is the best means of separating the conserva¬ 
tory into two sections; or a very light cur¬ 
tain, or a frame covered with the lightest 
grade of protecting cloth, may be used. 
Even where no partition of any sort can be 
employed, one may still secure a range of 
several degrees of temperature by judicious 
placing of the heating apparatus and the 
shelves. If the former is placed near one 
end of the room, a night temperature of 5° 
to 10° higher may be maintained in about 
a third of the space. The highest shelves, 
especially at the back, will be the warmer— 
but care must be taken not to get the plants 
too near the glass as the frost will “strike 
through" sometimes even where the average 
temperature of the room is safe enough. 
As to shade, some parts of the room will 
naturally be darker than others. A shady 
corner for ferns and palms may be made 
by supporting a curtain of any suitable ma¬ 
terial on small wires strung just beneath 
the glass. Unless the means of ventilation 
is adequate to keep the day temperature 
sufficiently low — 70° to 80° — even in the 
brightest weather, a light curtain should be 
provided for the sun-loving plants, to break 
the force of the rays during mid-day. Thor¬ 
ough ventilation, incidentally, is one of the 
most important factors in keeping plants 
healthy and free from insects. But it should 
be under control and never strike the plants 
directly. In the improvised conservatory 
F. F. ROCKWELL 
lighted by windows, it is a good plan to 
replace one of the upper lights by a very 
light sash of the same size, which may be 
opened to any desired angle, and at the 
same time keep out rain and snow. An¬ 
other excellent plan is to give the floor a 
heavy coating of spar-varnish, or cover it 
with water-proof material, for convenience 
in watering and keeping clean. 
Choosing the Plants 
As to the plants themselves, there are so 
many with which the experienced gardener 
can be successful that there is no room to 
enumerate them all here. Those mentioned 
are the more important and the most cer¬ 
tain to prove successful in the hands of the 
beginner. 
Among the flowering plants I doubt if 
any individual kind would be more generally 
made first choice than the plebeian geranium 
—the least appreciated flower we have, per¬ 
haps because it is plebeian. Vigorous young 
plants will give a continuous succession of 
their cheery blooms throughout the winter. 
No other flowers are so easily kept in the 
best condition. Any of your favorite varie¬ 
ties may be used, but a few sorts especially 
good for use in the house or conservatory 
are Beaute Poitevine, Helen Mitchell, new 
dark red ; Mrs. Lawrence, light salmon; 
Jules Vasseur, cardinal; Double Dryden, 
light lilac; Mrs. E. Rawson, single scarlet. 
Ivy geraniums are especially satisfactory as 
house plants ; they should be suspended or 
placed on high shelves which will give their 
graceful trailing habit of growth full play. 
Among the best of these are Caesar Franck, 
Corden’s Glory, Alliance, Achievement, and 
Rival. 
Next to the geranium, or rather along 
with it, come the begonias, of which there 
are three distinct types; the fibrous rooted, 
including the bedding and greenhouse varie¬ 
ties, the Rex and decorative-leaved kinds, 
and the tuberous rooted. All of these de¬ 
serve a place in the conservatory. Of the 
bedding kinds, a few plants each, of one’s 
favorites may be kept over to bloom freely 
through the winter and furnish a supply of 
cuttings for plants for next summer's 
bedding. In buying the foliage sorts it is 
best if possible to select them personally. 
The trailing begonias, such as the Gloire de 
Lorraine, are among the most effective of 
all winter flowering plants. Of the tuber¬ 
ous rooted sorts almost all are good. 
Snapdragons will prove excellent both 
for their fine appearance and for cut-flow¬ 
ers; they are of the easiest culture and con¬ 
tinue blooming throughout the season. They 
will do well in 6" pots, but if a corner of 
a solid bed can be spared for them, so much 
the better. Be sure that there is plenty of 
headroom. For the best results get plants 
or seed of named varieties. 
Care of Fuchsias 
A good collection of fuchsias should be 
given a place of prominence in stocking 
the conservatory. They are ideal plants for 
indoor culture, succeeding best in partial 
shade, and combining a graceful habit of 
growth with rich coloring and beautiful 
flower form. They will continue to increase 
in beauty for a number of years, if repotted 
as needed and given a resting period each 
year after the season’s bloom. They re¬ 
quire supporting, but this should be done 
( Continued on page 58) 
