The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-02-04
HOUSE PLANTS IN WINTER.

Nothing better bespeaks taste and refine
ment, or adds more TO the cheerful aspect, and
/ therefore TO the happiness Of home, than plants
and flowers during the chcerltss months OF
winter OF such "A home, how truly great
poet sung: "A thing OF beauty is Joy for
ever Yet how few homes are blest with
such things; partially because, with many,
taste does not 'un that wny,-though it is i'll
teresting to see how fast the circle OF flower
admirers is widening, and partly from want
OF knowledge as to the proper plants for house
culture, and as 10 the best means of treating
them.
The former, the proper kinds Tor parlor cul-
ture, the best soil for them, &c, are ideas now
out OF season to consider, and will be named
in their appropriate time AT present, how
shall those already in being be treated?
There are three positive things every plant
must have, everyw ywhere-lequisite moisture,
warMth and lght,-as well as two negative
thines--reed from dirt and insects.
The great trouble with buildings artihcia lily
warmed, both to plant and animal life, is the
excessive dryness Of the air. Fer not only do
plants languish from this cause, but much of
the sickness of families, s,-headaches, catsrrh-
al, pulmonary, Sc, affections, arise largely
from it. Hence equally to both plants and per-
sons, especially in the sickroom, night and
day, it is a condition OF vital necessity that
rooms heated by close stoves and furnaces
must have water freely and constantly evapo-
rating in them. In addition TO this mode OF
watering the foliage Of plants, every wash day
carry them into the wash room, where the
steam, vapor, and slops, will be Il great blessing
to them. For cur own plants, we have in use
a tin garden syringe, obtained in Boston--cost
81 % which in five minutes will wash in every
direction hundred plants, as we'll as the gen
tlest summer rain can do. Yet in moving plants
for this or any other purpose, or in admitting
air for ventilation, care should be had not tC
expose them to IA temperature much below the
one they are accustomed to. In watering them
at the roots some care is required; if too lit
tie, they perish from drought; if too much
from drowning Rain water at summer
warmth, Just enough 10 keep the earth fairly
moist, is the true medium. Yet Il fatal mistake
is often made in forgetting that plants whose
roots nearly till the pots, require vastly more
water-often ten times more-than those nav
ing IL good supply of earth, since in the former
:he:e is nothing to retain the water and keep
it from passing beyond their reach. Little unl
often here, is the true rule.
Next week we shall consider the requisite
heat, light and cleanliness for house plants.
. BOOK NOTICES..
We have received Part V. Of GUIDE I,
HE STUDY OF INSECTS, AND TREATISE o.
THOSE INJURIOUS AND BENEFICIAL TO CROPS
by S A. Packard Jr NJ D., Salem, Mass
Price so cents.
When, more and more, each year, produc
ton is being fearfully diminished and the
hearts Of many cultivators are failing them
for this reason, the world should hail this ex
cellent work as bene factor, and one which fol
the great merits both of the work and OF it.
author, deserves to be extensively known ant
patIonzed. For We are happy 10 inform ou
readers that Dr. Packard is one Of oar Main
young lnen-a son of that Nestor OF classica
leaning, Prof. Packard, of Bowdon College,,
and who, besides other rare advantages for ac
quiring knowledge, has been and is, perhaps
pupil oi the distinguished scientist, Ayassiz
The title OF the work sufficiently indicates it,
nature and great value, yet it IS proper to stat
that it is work, not like many others on tn
same subject, made up from slight observation
and the superficial skimmngs Of other publica
tions, but is highly original and elemcntar,
work on Entomology, the science of insects
a great want Of the world, not well supplied Ill
now. And while it is highly scientific worl
which every scholar will want to possess, 1t:
great popular and practical value will be seel
of 500 lite-l like cngravings Of insects their eggs
and their young; that by such helps, it i.
easy to know and identify any insect--the Hes
sian tiy for cxample-that we meet as to know
our old acqua intance-the house fy-whcn VT
see it, For the mischief has been, hitherto o
that not knowing the insects favorable, from
those unayOrable to us, like blind Sampson
we have struck right and left, as often destroy,
ing our friends our cnemies We shall
often have occasion to draw from this excelen
work.
s.eE1AnEs1nnnnz.nnsaU-
COLD COMFORT. A correspondent of the
Boston Herald relates the following adven
ture, which he pretends occurred at Augus.