Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-12-12
Light and Heat for Plants in Winter.

NOWADAYS there are so many persons
In well-settled neighborhoods, and espe-
cially near cities, that seek to have some
thing green in their living rooms in win
ter, that some general directions relating
thereto will be read with interest.
The greatest numbers of failures are
from the effects of too dry atmosphere,
particularly where coal is used. The plant
is gradually dried up, and turns yellow,
from the want of oxygen, and finally dies.
Such an atmosphere would be fatal also
constantly to it. The individual may go
out in the fresh air, the plant cannot.
To obviate these effects somewhat, water
may be kept on the fire or over the stove,
the evaporation from which will, in a con-
siderable degree, modify the effects of this
burned air from highly heated stoves.
Plants need powerful light direct from
the sun to enable them to grow equally
and healthily, and this is something they
seldom get in rooms. They therefore
should be placed as much as possible in
the sun, and, when kept near a window,
they should be turned about often, that all
portions of the plant may receive, as
equally as possible, its direct rays. When
a bay window can be had, many of these
difficulties may be avoided.
A little careful attention to keeping the
plants from extremes of heat and cold,
giving them as much light and air as pos
sible, moistening the foliage regularly,
and the avoidance of large quantities of
water at the roots, will enable any one to
bring ordinary house plants through the
winter in fair health.
Those who have small greenhouses or
conservatories, which they attend them
selves, often allow plants to become un-
healthy. Many are built with too slight
a grade for the glass, which, collecting
moisture, allows it to drip back upon the
plants The pitch of these lean-to or span
roofs should never be less in the rise than
one to one. A curvilinear roof is much
better and not a great deal more costly
One great advantage in this class of roofs
is the larger quantity of light that is ad-
mitted.
Light is said to pass more freely through
a curvilinear roof than through span
roof, for the reason than there is more
surface for the enclosed space and heat.
Light and heat pass more freely through
such glass forming an angle with the
horizon as will enable the rays of the sun
to strike without much DETECTION. Con-
sequently plane roof with perpendicular
glass sides is the worst possible form,
both for conseIvatories and greenhouses.
Nevertheless, the quality of cheapness
often compensates for this lack of utility.
Light also passes more easily through
clear, thin glass, than colored glass; there
fore, it is of the utmost importance that
such be used.
Light and heat therefore, being so
essential to plants, it is a matter of the
first consequence that those contemplating
the erection of greenhouses and conserva-
tories should provide for the admission of
the greatest amount of this, the life of
plants and animals.
Poisonous gases, in exceedingly small
quantity, often act with destructive energy
on plants. A ten-thousandth part of sui
phuric acid gas in the air is fatal to the
health of plants; hence the sickly ap-
pearance of trees, especially evergreens,
in large cities The trouble with sulphure-
Gus gases where coal is burned, has now
led pretty generally to the adoption of hot
water apparatus in heating greenhouses
and conservatories. Indeed, their use is
now so general, that the man who should
now heat with fiues, except in particular
cases, would be laughed at, They are
only admissible, at best, in temporary
structures. Western Rural.