The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-11
WINDOW GARDENING.
A Paper Read Before the Board of Agricul-
ture, at Pomfret, Feb. 8, 1876, by Mrs. W.
c. Whipple.

A Paper Read Before the Board of Agricul-
ture, at Pomfret, Feb. 8, 1876, by Mrs. w
c. Whipple.
l hardly expect in this talk upon window
gardening to interest only those who make
the cultivation Of plants in the house a
studyethat means success, and in order to
do this, one must not only admire but love
them. Then the labor of taking care of
them is no hardship, but paslimc. There
are very many farmers wives, especially
those farmers who make butter making a
specially, who are constantly at home, and
who cannot be entirely satisfied without
psonie meark of lifting their minds now and
then from the regular routine of milk
skimmlng, cooking, ETC., and at times get
ting little out-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 adornment
of our homes that even those who sneer at
the means used and time spent, can't 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 condiuons-proper soil, air,
light, heart, etc.-that must be complied
with, and in order to know what these al
with different varieties, one must have eX-
perience-tor | 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 q good
| tlowrist would, in many cases, prove utter
failures with the inexperienced or anna
teurs.
For this reason, feel my inability to dc
this subject justice, but il what | have
learned in the short time | have been eX.
permenting will be the means of saving
some ones beauties to them, | shall be
| glad, for know how hard it is to get q
nee 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 small amount of thi.
| disappointment is necessary to stimulate
one to try and study into their wants and
| necessities.
To commence with made geraniums al
most a specially, having some 100 different
varieties. | chose these on account of theil
general hardness and case of culture, and
| by getting the very dwarf varieties | could
not only accommodate them better in Tho
| windows, but found them more abundant
blossomers, also haYing larger, fairer bios
SONS than the old tall-growing ones-anC
here | would like to say many of my ac
| quantances would hear of the number
had and come TO see them, expecting, Of
course, they must about MI the house, anC
| could see at once their disappointment a
the show they did not make. Nevertheless
| consider them far superior for house cul
ture, and some of them just as good TO
bedding out
| have found black, sandy peat tn,
best soil have ever tried for these, on
that by the help of the farmers fertiize
will bring out plenty Of good sized flowers
| that is if they can have few hours o
sunshine and a plenty of fresh air. Al
these are not troubled with insects, will
the exception of the white mite, in th,
earth, the daily watering with an occasona
showering OF the foliage is all required
For the mite find the ashes from tobacco
an efTectual remedy, and as pateriamilia
at our house INDUCES in a cigar now anC
then, it is very easy to look up the plantl
| tuht uttA, uuu SCI III his ltdNu lucy tlCl
become useful to each other. This whit,
mite is made by small brown fly, and t
destroy this one must fumigate with tobac
co. Those of the geraniums we keep fol
the beauty of the foliage and the ivy leave(
need to be kept quite near the glass t
bring out the rich cOloring, as you mus
nip every bud unless you wish to lost
leaves. The only chance of failure L
get fair amount of blossoms with these o.
all varieties of blooming plants, in winter
is in not getting your cuttings started early
enough to have them get strong, healthy
roots and plenty of them, before they art
confined entirely to the house. No one neeC
expect plant to bloom well that is mo-
well started by the middle of June. Now
a word in regard to starting cuttings may
not be out OF place. have the best sue
cess in putting them by the edge of por
Gus pot one that is white and unglazed upoI
the inside, in the sandy peat, and If they
are well taken off-that Is, If the germ o
the root, as | call 1t, Is not left on the ole
plant-one may have a right to expect al
to live, with the same amount of light anC
air they need while growing There arr
some kinds, like the tradescanta, coleus
etc, that start quicker In water. Will
these II only necessary to have point lief
on them, TO have them start readily.
Many people think 1t almost impossible