330 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CA BINET. 
rua v be trained on these, while the plants used for drooping 
over the sides may be such as advised for window-boxes. 
If baskets or vases are in very exposed situations, 
such as cemeteries, where water cannot be easily given) 
it is best to use succulent plants, such as Echevcrias and 
Sempervivums (Houseleek) for the centres of the vases or 
baskets, and for the pendant plants, some of the beautiful 
forms of the Section or stone-crop family. All of these 
plants thrive with comparative little moisture when once 
established in the soil, and present a good appearance, 
even if watered copiously once a week in driest weather. 
PLAXTS IX ROOMS. 
Although plants can now be purchased almost every¬ 
where at very low rates, it is always a satisfaction to 
the housewife who is a lover of plants to know that the 
plant she now admires and cares for was her own crea¬ 
tion; that she herself raised it from a slip or a seed. 
But whether the plants have been raised at home or 
purchased from the florist, it is all important that they 
be in vigorous health to start with, or success is not 
likely to ensue: for once a plant gets unhealthy it is a 
loss of labor to attempt to get it again in health. It is 
better to throw it away and start again with healthy 
slips, seeds or plants. If the young plants have not 
been raised at home, by slips or seeds, it is always better 
to purchase young, healthy plants, than large plants 
that have been forced into flower, although we well 
know, that with the great majority of plant cultivators 
this advice will be thrown away, as five people out of 
six buy only plants in flower: it is really far better for 
the purchaser to be guided by catalogue descriptions 
than to buy plants that have been forced into flower at 
a high temperature. Supposing, then, that the plant 
has been purchased from the florist, which has been 
growing in a pot three inches deep and wide, it is usu¬ 
ally in a condition to require a larger pot, which will 
be known by observing that the roots mat the outside of 
the ball of earth; such a plant, whether it is a Rose, 
Geranium. Fuchsia, or any other similar free-growing 
plant, will require a pot one or two inches wider than 
what it has been grown in. It is usually the safest plan 
to shift it into only one size larger, but if two sizes are 
used, then at least an inch of ‘-drainage” should be placed 
in the bottom of the pot, so that the water can pass freely 
from the greater mass of soil. This drainage may con¬ 
sist of charcoal, broken pots, oyster shells, or anything 
convenient suitable for the purpose. If the plant has 
been only placed in a pot one inch larger than it has 
been growing in, then there is no need for drainage. 
"We ourselves never use drainage in our flower-pots, un¬ 
less for some reason we are obliged to give them an ex¬ 
tra large pot, when the drainage is used to counteract 
the evil effects of using a too large pot. The indication 
that a plant needs repotting into a size larger pot is 
known by knocking it out of the pot (by giving a smart 
rap on the edge of a board, just as is done in taking a 
form of jelly out of a mould), if the roots have become 
matted on the outer surface of the ball of earth, then it 
is in a condition to require a larger sized pot. For the 
soil to use in potting, that recommended for window- 
boxes will answer equally well for plants in pots. We 
are often asked if saucers should bo used to stand pots 
in. As a matter of keeping the place clean where the 
plants stand, it is a necessity, but the saucers should 
never be filled with water, unless when sub-aquatic 
plants are grown, such as Agcipanthus, Callas, Hya¬ 
cinths, Tradescantias, or other plants of similar char¬ 
acter. The best temperature for parlor plants is about 
55 deg. at night, which may be increased to 10 or 15 dog. 
higher during the day. 
The best aspect for plants grown in rooms is east, or 
southeast, south or southwest, never north. It is nec¬ 
essary once in eight or ten days, to turn the plants so 
that each side gets an equal share of light, else the 
plants will get lop-sided. If plants drop their leaves, or 
the leaves become yellow, it is usually one of two causes, 
either that the soil is too wet or too dry; either con¬ 
dition will destroy the small rootlets, which is indicated 
by the condition of the leaves. There is usually more 
injury done from the plants being too wet than too dry. 
There are only three insects that are really troublesome 
to parlor plants, the aphis (or green fly), the. red spider 
and mealy bug. The first is easily destroyed by tobacco 
in any form, either as a liquid, dust or by smoke. The 
most convenient way to use it for house plants, is to 
first wet the leaves, then dust snuff or tobacco dust over 
them. The red spider insect is not quite so easy to manage; 
it never appears uuless the air is hot and dry, when it 
attacks the lower side of the leaves. The best remedy 
is to wash the leaves off with a sponge, or if the plants 
are very large, lay the plants on their side and strike the 
leaves forcibly with water from a syringe or hose. The 
mealy bug insect looks like little bits of cotton, and is 
usually found at the axils of the leaves. It is best re¬ 
moved by a strong hair pencil, after which syringe or 
sponge the plant. 
All these instructions refer to plants that are grown 
in rooms from October until May. After that date, if 
circumstances permit, the plants should be shifted into 
good-sized pots and placed in the open garden, sinking 
the pot in the earth to the rim, care being taken to pinch 
out the leading shoots of the plants, so as to make them 
form into good shape. If the pots are sunk in the 
ground in this way, care must be taken to have them 
turned around every two or three weeks, else the roots 
will get through the hole in the 'bottom of the pot, 
which would have to be broken off, which would seri¬ 
ously injure them. Perhaps the best way is to stop up 
the hole entirely so that the roots cannot get through. 
A cork is best for tins purpose, as it must be taken out 
again if the plants are again used as house plants. Many 
plants, such as Geraniums, Heliotropes, Abutilons, all 
the Coleuses, Ageratums, and similar strong-growing 
plants, usually get too large for house plants the second 
year, and it is better with all such to use young slips, 
or procure young plants of them in the fall; while such 
plants as Carnations, Roses, Azaleas, Camellias, Jessa¬ 
mines, etc., are better when older if they have been 
properly cared for. There are a great variety of plant 
stands and other contrivances on which to set plants in 
rooms, but as these can best be understood by illustra¬ 
tions, florist’s catalogues must be consulted. 
God does not delay to hear our prayers because he Faith draws the poison from every grief, takes the 
has no mind to give ; but that, by enlarging our desires sting from every loss, and quenches the Are of every 
he may give us more largely.”— Anselm. pain: and only faith can do it.—Hr. Holland. 
