Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-05-12
Care OF House Plants.

am often asked how manage to have
so many flowers on my plants and in such
variety, and for the benefit of those who have
had but little experience, | will tell how to
do it in my way. For soil, use a mixture of
leaf mould taken from under hardwood
trees, decayed sod from under fence or old
wall, and clear sand mixed in about equal
quantities Burn all the meat bones till
they can be broken up with the fingers, and
place the largest pieces in the bottom of the
pots before filling with earth. Plants that
have been kept at rest during the winter
should be taken out of the pots, the earth
shaken off, the pots well washed in soap and
water. Then place coarse pieces of burnt
bones in the bottom, sprinkle in the earth
till the plant set in will be at proper
height Then fill in and around the roots,
cut down the tops, leaving the branches in
compact shape, water sparingly, and set in
warm, shady place till the leaves start to
grow. Charcoal and burnt bones, pulver-
lied and stirred into the soil around plants,
or layer put on top Of the pot, will deepen
the colors and promote the woody growth
of plants If plants are taken from green
house to living room, it must be remem
bered that the change is very great. They
are grown in very small pots, and in warm
damp atmosphere. 1t is impossible to keep
the roots from drying, unless the small pots
are set in larger ones and earth filled in
between, or packed in boxes with damp
moss. Florists tell us to keep them in the
small pots till the roots outgrow them, but
did they ever try it, l wonder, in dry sit
tingroom. Last year bought FIVE, in little
pots, and tried to keep them as they were,
aud every one died. This spring had as
many more sent by mail, without pots, but
the roots showed that they were taken from
very small ones. put them at once into
four-inch pots, and every one is growing
finely, and have already pinched off buds
from the geraniums. Having potted all the
plants, take an old tub or bucket and fill it
half full of manure from the stable where
horses are kept. Pour on pailful of very
NV Wdoci, " Nil tuo WoTmS duu utSlTON
larva. Let it stand few days, stirring and
filling up as required, and with this water
the earth in the hower-pots. Put it on spar
ngly at first, and wash the leaves free from
dust twice week in soft water. Set them
ont in the rain once in a while and let them
have q good soaking, but do not be always
watering them. They do not need water
unless the earth is somewhat dry in the
pots. Juicy or succulent plants, like the
wax-plant, EGGPLANT, and some others, will
take up large amount of water, but will
also stand drying better than most others,
being natives of very sandy soils. / have
studied the calla rather closely, and l do
not believe in drying up entirely. ! would
turn them out of the pots after Towering
and plant in some corner of flower bed,
where they can be undisturbed; tie up the
leaves firmly to protect from winds; in the
fall, before frosts, take up and re-pot in rich
soil, with some manure at the bottom aud
good allowance of sand at the top. Do not
take off the bulbs at the side so long as they
are healthy. We all know how large
clump of strong roots and stalks a wild lily
will produce if left to itself, when, if broken
up every year, it becomes weak. | was re-
Gently told of calla which had not been
disturbed, except to re-pot, for years, and it
filled large tub full of stalks, some of
which were immensely long and stout, and
had at one time thirteen buds aud blossoms.
Another time | propose to speak of wild
plants for the garden.