Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-23
Cheap ParlOr Plants.

For room decoration why do not people
take some hardy things that do not mind
neat or frost or drought or fiOOd-that is If
none OF these things come in too great eN-
treneS. There-are such things; but instead
OF looking for them, tender greenhouse things
mat require much light and great care
things which even florist with all his skill
can scarcely grOw-aTe taken in hand, and
mus people very often fail of success. OF
course after making close acquaintance
with plants and learning their little whims
and fancies and just how TO humOr them on
those little niceties that they set their hearts
upon, the parlOr- gardener can do as well as
the greenhouse gardener, and often much
better. II, however. the harder things are
taken, success is certain without much anx-
Iety or care, and one can practice on them
until they are able TO care for the more deli
cate things.
Among the best of these old-fashioned
plants easy TO grow in sunshine or Sha( q
there is nothing so good as the various yari,-
ties of English evergreen ivy. AS usually
seen in pots on street corners, pretty as thew
are, they give no idea of the great beauty
which plant OF several years old presents
W have seen some grown in mOderate-SiZa1
tubs SIX or seven feet high and trained over
wires so as TO make backs to seats or even lit
Tie arDOT-like coverings OF alcOves admirable
for standing In wide entrys or halls They
may be trained up in pots high enough and
mick enough TO cover window frames entire
~. not only up the sides but round and over
tops, making what is usually a dreary room
look IKE living bower, or room adorned
by the highest art look all the lovelier for this
ineursion Of beautiful Nature ON her special
domain.
We have seen the ivy in just these condi-
tons frequently and wonder why the success
ful example is not catching. We suppose il
must be simply want of fOrethought We
sec and admire and resolve that we will do
likewise; but we leave these fairy spots and
get into the rushing busy world, forgetting
the pleasurable impressions and only remem2
bering them when chance throws us in the
way OF seeing them again.
Now the time will soon come when prepara-
ton may be made for these sort OF things
The young ivies should be ported in the
spring In good garden soil, and after a gentle
reminder that they are expected TO travel up-
wards by being tied TO stout stake set i'm the
center OF the pot, set out in partial shade to
grow. II Will need TO have Just about the
same watering and the same general culture
as ordinary plants and by fall will be large
enough for some show the same winter But
III Is the second season and afterwards that
the great beauty of the ivy will be seem and
II il just these three or four year old plants
that people very seldom see
How dearly we should like TO see a connie
of pots of ivy in everybOdy's winter-hOme
and especially in the homes of the Door We
read every year in the daily papers of some
individuals at Christmas giving away luaveS
OF bread to the poor. This may be well
enough in its way, though il is looked on
often as huge joke and the lOaves tossed
about in fun, and though il is at other times
merely dodge for cheap advertising by some
trader who thinks himself sharp i'm thus
cheating publisher of five-dollar bill, we
are willing to believe that some do il from
good motives and that some return genuine
thanks for timely relief; but if some one
would distribute a few hundreds of we'll
grown Ivy TO the poor and ignorant not to say
the vicious, at this generally cheerful time
we believe an immense amount of pleasure
would be given To class who know not what
rational pleasure is and no doubt other good
would follow.-G1mdnbOlca Telegraph.
"THE Two BREAKFASTS far as pure
air is concerned, some hints are given
by Canon Kingsley which may be useful
even to the poor, or TO employers who
care for their men. He describes what he calls
"the two breaths." and their effects. The two
| are, Of course, the breath taken in-which "is
| or ought TO be, pure air, composed, on the
| whole, ofOxygen and nitrogen, with minute
| portion of carbonic acid" and the breath
given Out-which sis an impure air. TO which
has been added, among other matters which
viii not support life, an excess OF carbonic
acid" He shows that this carbonic acid gas
when warm, is lighter than air, and ascends
and, when at the same temperature as COM
| mon air, is heavier than that air and de-
| sends, lying along the door 'just as Ii lies
| often In the bottom of old wells or brewers
! watts, as stratum of poison, killing occa-
/ sionally the men who descend into it," Hence
| word OF admonition Is addressed to those
| who think nothing of sleeping on the floor;
| and hence, as 80 the poor are too ant i'm times
| OF distress, to pawn their bedsteads and keep
| their BEDS" the friends of the poor are en-
| treated never to let that happen and to 50 keen
| the bedstead, whatever else may go, To sa We
the sleeper from carbonic acid On the door"