The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-06-07
Home and Farm.

PLANTS IN RooMs.-GTowing plants,
vegetation in general, is the means ma
ture employs to purity the atmosphere.
The gases which are the products Of
respiration and of the decomposition
Of organic matter, either vegetable or
animal, are assimilated by the growing
plant or converted into its tissues. In
the wondrous laboratory of nature
these processes are constantly in opera
ton, so that all organic substances in
their turn, together with all the effete
PRODUCES of animal life, serve the pur-
pose Of sustaining vegetation. The
process of this assimilation of matter
or food IN plants is a direct result Of
the action OF sunlight, though there is
reason to believe the process is not
wholly intermitted during the night,
but that the peculiar action induced in
the plant by the direct sunlight is con.
tinued with a diminishing force in the
hours OF ordinary darkness. Probably
but little new matter is received into
the plant in the night, but the process
----ilatilsn ie in com DletiOn, The
fActs aud experiments on which unesU
deductions are made could DC given in
detail, but those curious in this matter
we would refer to the writing of Yege-
table Psychologists.
SoIlfar, then, as growing plants are
concerned, we have a clear case, and
can say positively that they are not only
not injurious, but actually beneficial.
There Is, however, another view to
take Of the subject, and that is IN re-
gard TO blooming plants. The perfume
of some flowers is not only disagree
able to some persons, but, when they
are exposed TO them for some length of
time, affects them with headache, nau-
sea and fertile symptoms more or less
gTavated--especially is this the case
with those peculiarly heavy odors given
of by some varieties Of hyacinths,
tuberoses, jasmines, orange blossoms
and some Other kinds. or these effects
there Is no question, and all such
plants should be avoided by those sen
sitiye to them, and probably it would
be web for anyone not to have many
such plaptsin a sleepingToom, but the
caution Is scarcely necessary, for it is
seldom that any great amount of bloom
10 attained in house plants in the win
ter. Again, the ventilation that Is nee.
essary, aud that in a very well rcgu.
lated room is given, secures from all
harm, in ordinary practice, from the
odors OF flowers.
A bouquet left standing in the same
water for several days, as Is sometimes
allowed, may become quite offensive,
but this case Of decaying vegetable
matter is far different from living
plants. A Eight burning in a room, oil
small animal, like cat or dog, oc'
it, will vitiate and destroy
the atmosphere to a very sensible ex-
tent, but who objects to their presence
on this account2 The least care il
ventilation corrects it all. In this con
nection we may well requote an extract
from q note we published last yeal
from the editor of one of our medica
Journals He says: II think plants
could be used as sort of vitaometer
The value Of plants in a health point
OF view is not yet appreciated as il
will be. A room where plants do wei
makes good living room. The three
sources Of ill-health in indoor life, in
winter in particular, are-frst, super
heated air; second, too dry air; anC
third, an air loaded with carboniC
acid. Regulate the first two condi.
tions so plants wilrlivc and thrive, anC
they will rapidly absorb the acid. I'm
der our plant stand, my wife has
long tray OF water, which keeps til,
air moist by evaporation, absorbs the
- carbonic acid, and our plants are thu
wonder Of my patients, and the healtl
of our rooms. l can thus point man,
lesson in hygiene"
In conclusion, then, only discrimi-
mating against those plants, the odor
OF which we know to be disagreeabl,
=, or injurious To us, we can safely sav
that plants in living or sleeping rooms
are beneficial In purifying the atmos
phere, and that room with more o.
less Of thrifty, growing plants has no
only an air Of refinement, but literally
purer air than without them.
The farmer who considers his bust
ness in the light OF toll or drudgerN
will never be more than laborer or
drudge. On the contrary, he who con
sders IL as business for the employ
ment Of skill, intelligence and saeaci
ty., and becomes educated for it in al
fitamanner as possible, will find hi
labor easier, more agreeable, and NOR,
profitable than that Of the other. There
are farmers who labor, and others whit
work; the former have nothing t.
tighten or enliven their labor, while
the latter do most of their labor, no
with the hands, but with the brain
aud thus tighten their toll and max,
II the more effective. There are tive
classes OF farmers, the one class is pre-
pared for emergencies of all kinds
the other is helpless until work is laiG
out for them; where the farmer is edu
Gated in his profession he can lay plapi
wisely and execute them effectively
or indeed, by means Of his greater
knowledge and skill, he may be abb,
10 profltably direct the labors of {
score Of men, without handling too
himself.
One Of the greatest needs Of agricul
u---eere now is thorough technical educa
ton. The farmer who is not prepared
to say at a moments warning wha
must be done in this case or that, wha
stock may be best kept on this or tina
land, what fertilizer may be best use,
for this OF that crop, or decide hun
dred importatn questions which involv
profit or loss, is no farmer, but is tittet
only for iaborer, aud nectis master
and, in fact, cannot hope to realize 70
his labor any more than the wages of
common workman. His labor. intelli
gently directed, would be far more val
nablo than when it is subject to his owl
.r.,anak llpi ideas of what is proper. an,
Il woolsa be better Tor him 10 work 70
capable employer than for himself
Fortunately, q great number of farm
ara are reading men, and are more O
less educated in the science of thei
business.
But by far the larger part of theI
neglect the abundant means of educs
ton offered TO them. The old e.
ploded idea that n farmer who read
books or agricultural journals is boo
farmer, and that book farmer is
hnmbug and 4 failure, is unfortpnatel
yet prevalent, but it is to be notice
that the old fogy farmer does not SCR
pie TO AJAX the services Of his better il
forma6 neighbor's stock animals, and
eager to exchange his own barn. doc
foWps eggs for the others pure bre
ones, or 70 get stock of gratis of b
choice fruits. or borrow new and IN
proved seeds, or do other similar q
commodanng neighborly actions Il
his own benefit ana yet at the san
time may stiiI cast slurs upon tn
hrnk fnTmer and hiR new-fan lied nj