Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-04-19
THE UTILIZATION OF HOUSE
PLANTS.

District horticultural Society ny MI. y. l. -.
CLARK, one of our most successful amateur
florists:
Duly apprecfatlng the difficulties to be en-
countered In attempting to present new Sug
gestfOns for the cultivation OF house plants, as
the sub ;ect has received the at5e1tiOn OF nJr-
lists for many years, and on which numerous
articles have been written and rules prescribed.
much regret that some OF the eminent and
practical members of this association had not
been selected to ADDRESS you on this occasion;
me as a member Of this society VIII u de5lg-
mated for duty, have endeavOred to embody
In the following remarks all necessary drec
lions for the successful attainment Of this OBJ
ject- The time allotted must necessarily pre-
clude me from detailing the mode of culture
adapted to individual plants.
The cultivation OF flowers Is one Of the few
pleasures which improve alike the mind
and the heart, and makes every true
lover OF these beautiful creations wiser,
purer and nobier. 1t is a pleasure which
entails no palma sweet without alloy. Some
may fail 10 realize their hopes, but the failure
surely teaches us to study more Carefully, and
TO obey more strictly natures laws. BY so
0Olng, all may gain wisdom and success. The
BOOK OF Nature Is open to all, and its wonder
ful beauties and mysteries are unveiled, and
can be readily realized by all who study it. All
plants have their peculiar1tieS, and these must
be understood If we would cultivate them sue
ceSSfully.
Some persons grow flowers from a desire to
excel,-others as an evidence Of refinement and
the absorbing love that invoiuntariiy causes the
genuine student OF nature to bow the head In
the presence Of the Heaven lent loneliness Of
The love of flowers is confined to no age or
station. We see it manifested In the old. mid
dle-aged, and little chiidren,-in the sick and
the pOOr,-1n the learned and the unlearned
The pure and innocent love flowers, aud find in
them the means for the cultivation of the best
feelings OF understanding to relax the
care-wOrn mind, and raise the affections be-
yond the angry turmois of life. Every step they
advance, they meet new wonders and the more
they pursue 1t the more they desire TO know
fords more to interest and i1struct,-to refresh
and relax the mind.-than any other pursuit
The pleasing adornment of our homes with
beautiful flowers win surely, though silently.
IN addltlOn TO the pleasure impaired to US, 1u1-
press our children with the love of nature and
the ref1uementS Of sOciallife-attractions W hicb
cost comparatively nothing, but yet so valuable
70 all who can appreciate them
Let US then learn To plant and cultivate them.
and the pleasure will increase In proportion to
our efforts, and remain when ali others nave
departed
SELECTION OF HOUSE PLANTS.
To secure suitable plants for house culture
such as will repay US with beautiful flowers
through the winter, we should understand
collections we have seen plants different wide
" In their habits. and requiring very different
culture, reduced to one regimen,-that is to
quantity OF water given them daily. This
treatment soon results contrary to the expecta-
lions OF the amateur. Some become long,
dumpy; some shedding their leaves and going
70 rest with unripe wood; some widowed,
and few family struggling to show here and
tnere oeWildered blossom; In such collec
zion, the eye Is panied by the entire want OF
sympathy arising from jumbliny together the
most dissimilar kinds: from the want of robust
health, and from the entire disappearance Of
That VIVID freshness OF growth. com oact white
It is rapid. which gives charm to well m m
aged plants.
According to accommodations, select few
vigorous, symmetrical, hearty plants One.
well tended, viii give you more pleasure than
twenty half nurtured
In taking plants into the house, tie object ts
tWo-fold, projection against frost AMI to have
them bloom during winter The ondittOns are
30 varied In respect TO light, hear, and mojs
ture, that specific dire :tiOns for their culture
must mus prove useless In order: however, to Sc
ter, proper care and attention must be given
them. Where plants are housed merely for
protection they NAV safely be kept in any or
olnary room, having Sufficiency OF light, and
u which the temperature does not fan below
To achieve success in the culture of house
ed. Plants which have boOmed throughout the
summer cannot be expected to bloom prOfuse!y
through the winter, as season of rest Is abso-
lutely necessary to all plants
For winter towering plants should he kant
ID pots all summer, or suitable ones procured
early In the fall. II kept In pots during the
sumner, all buds should be pinched OF as they
appear, until about the 1St OF September: after
which they may be allowed to grow, and viii
produce early winter flowers The later the
puds are pinched off, the later will the plants
De coming into bloom In winter. This is espe.
cfaily the case with carnations bouvariias and
heli0trOpeS The plants should be bron0ht into
the house and placed In position before the win
tened to indoor life.
HOW AIR SHOULD BE SUPPLIED.
Unless the weather IS too colo, say 100 above
zero,-plants should be given fresh air every
farthesc from them When too cold. air may be
given them by opening door In an adjoining
room, taking care, however, that no direct draft
blows upon the tender plants IL the plant
are placed In a window. the openings aroun1
the sash should be closed by paSting paper
strip, over them Paper or cotton curtains
VIII serve TO protect the plants against frost.
LIGHT.
The plants should be placed In such M.
s1t1on as that each portion can receive its due
proportion OF light. or they Will grow weak
stIaggiing. and ont OF shape, by bending TO-
ward the light. NAV be seen throughout our
CITY IN many windows
Light Is essential and has DO yerfll effect
upon plants The green color OF their leaves Is
owing IN IT.. WBen oil iced In such stu atoms az
not TO receive their due sh ire, plants become Of
s'cSly white hue. Where light Is al nitted 10
thelr leaves Through different colOred glass
tneir Foliage Is Daler In proportion as the glass
approaches nearest In color To violet III mt
acts oenencfaily upon the upper surface OF The
iea'es, ana in)urionsly upon the under SIDE
nence ine FORMER Is always turned toward the
Hghb Wherever the pant NAV be placed The
lhnuence OF light upon rhe green color OF the
leaves NAV be realized IL we notice the buds
when unfolding. The stronger the sunshine
the sooner viii they assume taeir cnar acIertsrfc
hue; and, on the other hand, In dark dull
weather they Will rem iin for days together
almost as the same color ss before they expand
The Influence OF Hight Is also sh )yn In 10 Ddi-
Tying the direction OF the stem and branches
They always turn toward the light. aai THIS Is
especially manifested where IL Is re :eived from
only one direction. This Is in consequence OF
the loss OF fluid from The tissue OF the stem on
the side OF which the light falls IT, is contract
ed. while that of the other n tinS turyid witt
Its growing point becomes oD oosite to the ltpnr
any obstacle divert IL, the same cause viii
bring 1t back.
Light Is the s-imrlus ~ the vital principle.
During the day. II effects The eGbora.ton OF the
elements Of water and cIrb)n, prod icing the
specific essences OF the iadirid Iai species It l.
the chief agent OF mafuratiDa, as well as OF
color. Its absence during night, and in winter
produces torpor. and repo5e Is as essential 10
plants as to animals
TEAP4RATURg.
sudden changes OF temperature should be
particularly guarded against Too much heat
destroys the foliage as well as the buds Ex-
ceSsive heat. want OF fresh air. and too much
moist ure are the three chief obstacles to the
successful culture OF house plants. and tust ar