The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-08
WINDOW GARDENING.

A Paper Read Before the Board of Agricul-
ture, at Pomfret, Feb. 8, 1876, by Mrs w.
c. Whipple.
hardly expect in this talk upon window
gardening to interest only those who make
the cultivation of plants in the house a
study, that means success, and in order to
do this, one must not only admire but love
them I n the labor of taking care of
them is no hardship, but pastime. There
are very many farmers wives, especially
those farmers who make butter making
specially, who are constantly at home, and
who cannot be entirely satisfied without
some means of lifting their minds now and
then from the regular routine of milk
skimmlng, cooking, ETC., and at times get
ting a little ou-of-door exercise withal-
and what is there any better calculated to
do this, particularly to the true lover of
flowers, than the cultivation of them, be-
sides, they add so much to the adornmcnt
of our homes that even those who sneer at
the means used and time spent, cant but
admire and feel delighted at the sight of
vigorous and well.kept plants in winter.
Every one that cares enough for them to
get them wants them to grow and do their
best, If possible, and to gain this end there
are certain cOnditlons-proper soil, air,
light, heart, etc.-that must be complied
with, and in order to know what these ale
with different varieties, one must have eX-
perience-ior | have found no common
amount of reading will save all your plants
for this reason, that means that would
work like a charm in the hands of good
owrst would, in many cases, prove utter
failures with the inexperienced or anna
tours.
this subject Justice, but if what | have
learned in the short time have been ex-
perimenting will be the means of saving
some ones beauties to them, | shall be
glad, for know how hard it is to get a
nice plant and just begin to enjoy it and
the prospect of what it will be, and then
have it droop and die, while you are totally
ignorant of what to do to save it. But still
do not know but a small amount of this
disappointment is necessary to stimulate
one to try and study into their wants and
necessities
To commence with made geraniums al
most specially, haying some 100 different
varieties. | chose these on account of their
general hardness and ease of culture, and
by getting the very dwarf varieties l could
not only accommodate them better in the
windows, but found them more abundant
blossomers, also haying larger, fairer bios
SONS than the old tall-growing ones-and
here would like to say many of my ac-
quaintances would hear of the number
had and come TO see them, expecting, of
course, they must about fill the house, and
| could see at once their disappointment at
the show they did not make. Nevertheless,
| consider them far superior for house cul-
ture, and some of them just as good for
bedding out.
| have found black, sandy peat the
best soil l have ever tried for these, one
that by the help of the farmers fertilizer
will bring out plenty Of good sized flowers,
that is If they can have few hours of
sunshine and a plenty of fresh air. AS
these are not troubled with insects, with
the exception of the white mite, in the
earth, the daily watering with an occasional
showeriDg of the foliage is all required.
For the mite find the ashes from tobacco
an effectual remedy, and as pater famillas
at our house INDUCES in cigar now and
then. it is very easy to look up the plants
that need, and set in his reach they then
become useful to each other. This white
mite is made by small brown fly, and to
destroy this one must fumigate with tobac-
co. Those of the geraniums we keep for
the beauty of the foliage and the ivy eaved
need to be kept quite near the glass to
bring out the rich coloring, as you must
nip every bud unless you wish to lose
leaves. The only chance of n failure to
get fair amount of blossoms with these or
all varieties Of blooming plants, ia winter,
is in not getting your cuttings started early
enough to have them get strong. healthy
roots and plenty of them, before they are
confined entirely to the house. No one need
expect plant to bloom well that is not
well started by the middle of June. Now
word in regard to starting cuttings may
not be out oi place. l have the best sue
cess in pu ing them by the edge of por-
Gus pc. one mat is white and unglazed upon
the inside, ia the sandy peat, and If they
are well taken off-that Is, if the germ Of
the root, as ] call it, is not left on the old
plant--one may have a right to expect all
TO live, with the same amount of light and
air they need while growing. There are
some kinds, like the tradescanta, coleus,
ETC., that start quicker In water. With
these 1t only necessary to have point left
on them, to have them start readily.
Many people think it almost impossible
to start cuttings in winter, but think it a
mistake, as | have started quite number
of geraniums, polegomiums, tuchuas and
lantanas this winter. The past year have
procured quite number of different vari-
cites of begonias, some for the beauty of
their foliage and others for their different
colored blossoms. These find thrive best
in rather cool and shady situation and
want more sand in the earth, about two
thirds sand and the rest loan, with plenty
of charcoal for drainage. They like moist
atmosphere, but not much water on the
roots, so shower the foliage with warm
water, being careful to avoid getting much
into the pot. have never found any in
sect that troubles these, but If they are put
into too rich earth or kept too wet, the
roots will decay or the stalks damp off
Just above joint, and 1t Is conside. ably
80 with the Chinese primrose or primula,
iaponica, if kept too moist but the prim-