the 
ameri^-^^ 
188 
AND 
greenhouse. 
WINDOW GAEDEHINO FOB OOIOBEB. 
We should now be more fully ^.g ^ly 
^Vinter by having all our 
,. «. ina»» „.«« “ “St" « 
other occasion requu-es. 
protect om- Carnations, Geraniums, F ‘ > 
Chinese Primroses, Cactuses, and othei not 
too tropical plants on the piazza for aiiliiie, 
it is better not to introduce them o om 
windows. Although they may require a 
little protection at night, the warmt an 
genial weather of the day-time is far more 
beneficial to them than the indoor atmos¬ 
phere of our dwellings. But in the event of 
Severe weather, do not take risks by leaving 
your plants on the piazza, but take them 
indoors. Many house-plants, as Coutiu-y 
Plants, Myrtles, Carnations, and Mignonette, 
may not appear to be injured by a few degi ees 
of frost, blit please remember, frost does not 
benefit any of them. And frost is far more 
injurious to plants after being imtted than 
while growing out in the garden. 
Besides, unless you are well acquainted 
with the nature and needs of yom‘ several 
plants, you may, in mistake, submit some of 
the tender ones, as Heliotrope, Coleus, or 
Poinsettia, to the cool treatment that an 
Orange, Sweet Bay, A’’erbena, or Meteor 
Marigold might bear with impunity, and 
find that the tender plants have been hurt. 
Therefore, be on the safe side, and keep all 
of your pot-plants from fi'ost. 
CLEANLINESS. 
Before housing your plants, see that they 
are entirely free from parasitic insects. 
Buhach and other sorts of Pjrethrum 
powder may dislodge aphides and thrips, 
but if yom- plants be infested with rod 
spiders, you had better wash every stem, 
branch, and leaf with a sponge and soapy 
water, using water unstintingly; if with 
scale, rubor scrape them off, but not so as to 
scratch the plant, then wash clean; and if 
with mealy bugs, brush, them off. Fumi¬ 
gating with Tobacco smoke is very well in a 
greenhouse, but almost impracticable in a 
dwelling-house, notwithstanding stereotyped 
advice to the contrary. Besides, Tobacco 
smoke only destroys aphides and thrips, and 
has no visible injurious influence on red 
spiders, mealy bugs, or scales. 
WASHIN’O FLOWER-POTS. 
No matter how fresh, and gay, and pretty 
your plants may be, if your flower-pots arc 
covered with green, slimy conferva), they 
will give an ill-look to your treasures, and 
cry aloud your own slovenliness. “His too 
hard work to wash the pots ” is worse than 
no excuse. I know precisely how hard, or 
rather how easy it is, and should not excuse 
any one who is not an invalid. 
STAKINO PLANTS. 
If plants need support, stake them; but 
let your stakes be neat, not taller than the 
plants, and do not use more of them than are 
needed. So arrange the stakes and tyers 
that they shall not bo conspicuous; but, if 
--^ (^branches 
possible, hidden among 
watering. 
Callas, 5auls^ 
nations, and J ’ ^ ter, but so much 
growth reqiure plenty 0 ^ ^ever 
L to render the ^ ^.'^iiargoniums 
be given. Fancy starting into 
(Lady Wasb-gto;iG at the 
gi-owth should not be ^^erhead en¬ 
root, but slight all the 
corn-age fresh grow (jeraniums 
joints about the stem. ^ „,cl 
that have been lifted tion gbould be 
need very little water, and t 'oy slmu 
kept perfectly dry * /jants 
a foesh start. Cactuses and ” 
nned no water, providing ^ 
cool quarters. Evergreen plants, ^ E gl^^^ 
Ivy, Camellias, Azaleas, 
OraWes, if kept in a moderately cool place, 
neUveiV little water; still be caref.a nem 
to allow them to get di-y, else you will hm 
them seriously, even although they may no 
show it at the time. Ferns should be kept 
moderately moist all the time. 
WINDOWS FOR PLANTS. 
The north-facing, or sunless windows, will 
do very ivell for Chinese Primroses, Cinera¬ 
rias, Calceolarias, Camellias, Azaleas, lines ; 
of all sorts. Begonias, Fei-ns, and Mosses; j 
also, pots filled with rooted slips of Gera- : 
niums, Ageratum, Heliotropes, and the like ; 
for next summer’s garden. East or west j 
iviiidows may be allotted to most Muds of 
plants, over wMch, if they wilt while the sun 
shines on them, a muslin curtain may be 
draira in front of them. South-facing win¬ 
dows should be allotted to Eoses, Gera¬ 
niums, Callas, Petunias, Oxalis, Pansies, 
Heliotropes, Paris Daisies, and other winter¬ 
blooming plants that rcquii-e sunshine to 
bring them into full blossom. 
VENTILATION. 
Do not coddle up your plants, with the idea 
you are doing them good. Let them have 
plenty of fresh air, by lowering rather than 
raising the window if possible; or, better 
still, if raised a little and lowered a little, 
too. But, at the same time, keep the door 
shut, as plants are sensitive to drafts and 
injured by them. Li tlie event of a gentle, 
warm rain, set your plants, or some of them, 
out-of-doors, to get the benefit of it. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 
What splendid flowers they are, so largo 
so bright, so gay, and borne in such extreme 
profusion ! And how accommodating i As 
outdoor garden or indoor pot-plants they 
aic amenable, and will repay the room and 
care they need. Wo may lift ihem from the 
open garden plots even when they are in 
flower, and pot them or transplant eLewhere 
m the garden with success. I grow them in 
summer m plots in the vegetable garden and 
orchaid, and as my summer flower bedH 1 
been emptied of their GeraniuZ S ’^^ 
and other tender plants, I flli 
Chrysanthemums. I also iml i., * 
mo„ I., ,,„u, I » 
under an awning, keep them on 
or any place that is warn, and sZ 
take a few into the house or 
thus secure all their blosson.s 
better in dry than damp weather) 
transplant immediately, and water el’ ot 
A GEEENHOUSE FOE EVEEltBODY 
Small, inexpensive greenhouses at 
creasingly in demand, and direetion* 
their construction inquired about. If! 
attached to the dwelling, the location^® 
i-angement of the house and its rooms’ 
many other conditions, will naturaUy 
sitate changes and modifications of alZ* 
any plan that could he given. But, after 2! 
nothing can convey a clearer idea of th ■’ 
management than the description of actual 
existing, satisfactorily working structures 
this kind. It is, therefore, with pleaset’ 
that we have received the following fm* 
Mr. N. T. Lackner, Astoria, N. Y.: 
“My gi-eenhouse, 12x3^, and lo fes( 
high, constructed by myself last fall, leans 
against two east windows of my house 
through which the plants receive the nece^ 
sary heat. The top sashes can he raised 
and another window communicates with an 
airy cellar, so that complete ventilation can 
be given. Water drains readily through the 
ground, so that the syringe may he used 
freely whenever necessary. There is some 
space between the greenhouse and a fence 
in front, which I had fiJled out with hay up 
to the glass and covered with boards.. This 
seciu-ecl a temperature of from 40^ to 50° 
all winter, which was sufficient to produce 
ail abundance of flowers all the time, mostly 
from plants raised from seed. A Wistaria, 
which is inclosed, was in splendid bloom in 
December and again in February, deliciously 
perfuming the whole house. A Honey¬ 
suckle, which is also inclosed, had but feu- 
blossoms, and as it shades too much, will be 
taken out. 
“ When I built the greenhouse, I expected 
that it would make the room too warm in 
summer, and therefore arranged it so that it 
could be taken down. But at the approach 
of summer the whole structure, filled with 
bright colors and fragrance, gave the room 
so enchanting an appearance, that I could 
not bring myself to sacrifice it, and to my 
great satisfaction I found that it not only 
was not objectionable, but kept the room 
most comfortably cool.” 
POT-BOUND PLANTS. 
After plants have been grow'iug for a 1 o“d 
time in pots or boxes quite too small for t c 
capacity of tho roots, the rootlets and fibej® 
will form a thick mat all arouud tho insi c 
of tho pot. Of course, as tho roots 
wproiid out, tho plant will usually o®*®®, ^ 
appear as thrifty and luxuriant as the fiori*^ 
may dosiro. Tho i-omody is to dump the 
touts of tho pot and placo them iu 
vossol. Prior lo replanting, rim a s'li^ 
kiiito up and down tho mat of 
a-dozon pliious about tlio ball of 
that now roots will strike out readily' 
tlio i.lant has boon placed iu a larger po • 
is II grave error to attempt to koop *<-*' 
kinds of flowering plants in pots that aio 
one-fourth as largo as tlioy should bo. ® 
niunis iiud Itosos ospocially nood P® 
good size. Small pots tend to dwar 
growth of most ])lants, and niilos®) ' 
nsod, liquid inaimro is applied froqR®“ 
hut little sntistiictiou can bo obtaino®’ 
S. B- 
