Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-10-10
Hints for the winter Garden.


The season has come when we must give
Thought and care TO such plants as we would
choose Tor winter bloom i'm the house. One Of
the hrst and best is the heliotrope, that favor
ite ano fragrant boomer. No plant collection
and beautiful
lake ak your potted plant, which we assume
nds heatniully spent the summer outdoors
Two or three year old heliotrope is a better
ploomer than new-and now trim IL IN. All
Soui .sars VII ts' you; the more branches
growth push forth, and the more abundant
and Tine Will be the Towering. By December.
In1 ,nS an, i g,'ing II long vacation, your
dark-fowered is stoutest and best keen the
plant we'll fed. lt loves rich soil.
often grow mine as standard, trimming
it away 10 two shoots one at either side of the
pot; then set in the pot stout wire trellis of
suitable height, or as tall as the pot will bear,
tie the shoots 10 this, and as they Increase you
can easily train the plant 10 become a stand
ard grower: and you will find you never had
so fine one, for the heliotrope likes support
ana this IS much better than fastening TO
STICKS. The new shoots will ill your trellis
abundantly with luXuriant growth and after
Tie hrst beautiful heads OF flowers have blessed
You, trlm them away unsparingly as they fade.
ana ana Keep your plant cut iudiciously, for new
Geraniums should be repotted now, before
a frosty night breathes upon their leaves
never recover well from its blight. Don't Ia
afraid TO get rid OF old dirt in geranium pots.
the roots will bear gentle handling: then re-
closely into the POTS around the roots. PRIME
PACK the tops OF the plants WELL taking care
10 Keep tier form symmetrical. Shade the
pots lor week or so, and then give them
gently sunny quarters. in an airy room. Nv
winter you will have them in stout thrift
condition, III nurtured by plenty of sun as
Gays grow COO, good air and judicious water
ing A weekly watering of liquid dressing ia
esse initial TO rich show of their elegant dow
ers.
Pinks are also indispensable window plants.
Now is the time to layer new plants: while
those which have been kept back during the
summer, that they might resume their bloom
ing strength for the time when nature is be-
reit OF bloom, may be allowed 10 bud Ex-
quiSitely lovely are their snowy, CRIMSON or
picotee roSettes OF plumy flowers: and what
aroma can excel their spicy sweetness:
OF course, we all desire collection of YER
benas Nothing takes their place as dear lit
tie vase flowers in winter. so starry bright,
and SO peculiarly delicate in fragrance as
afternoon comes on, resembling the dews of
summer apparently.
Select from your bedded ver5enas young
shoots OF entirely new wood for cuttings TO
start now: and do not transplant a roo: ed
one, however handsome, for it will not do as
We'll. Strike your short slips in small pots of
new loan mixed with sand. After they have
started well, carefully lift into WATERSHED
'ourth sand, and enriched with well-decayed
manure. Keep your little plants carefully
llEched back, l.. e., nip OIL the terminal bit OF
struggling and spindling. Keep the surface
soil stirred and soft, and do not, above all
things, drench them with water. Nerbenas
set their sweet faces against a muddy soil
most seriously, for they perish of il but the
foliage should be kept clean with not infre-
quent showering with ammoniated water, SO
good Tor all plants. This will deter greatly
their mortal enemy, the verbena mite. and
pitifpl black rust. Remember they will need
the best sunshine your room affords con-
Stantly.
One pretty little plant be snre and have for
home-the pleasing aud delicate HermaIia
or as Ii is more commonly called, MIheruiG
ddordtd, with its hyacinthine odor, and prim-
rose dlaphanous bells hung so profusely amid
its foliage of frnged green. L know of no
plant which so harmoniZes with, yet So sweet
~ Offsets the heliotrope Set them side by side
IN your window when in blossom. Start cut
tlnGs in damp sand. Do not keep your plant
too wet. If inclined to superintendent
gaowth, pinch 1t freely" Violet" in Mass.
PlOUgItDld1l.