Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1880-02-11

Very warm water, 1892, will destroy
parasites. Plants do best in small pots,
which ought not to be painted or glazed.
Of room plants, Geraniums, Callas,
Chinese Primrose, and Oxalis are among
the most easily cared for. The window
curtain should never shade the plants.
Do not have too many plants. Three
or four well-carcd-for healthy ones, are
worth a dozen sckly specimens that have
become so for want Of time and stength
to nurse and pot so many.
Ivy may be grown in any part Of the
room. The pots may be placed on the
floor, and the plants trained to icstoou a
doorway or wreath 4 picture. They re-
quite frequent watering, yet the water
must not stand about the roots.
Window plants must have air and light
at every opportunity. BE careful never
to allow draught Of cold air, admitting
it in quantity proportionate to the weather
outside When it is cold and frosty, give
little or no air, and more on pleasant days
Most of our plants are injured by too
much heat. For Il general collection Of
house plants, it is not best to allow the
| thermometer to be above seventy, and if
they could be kept in room where the
thermometer would usually not range
much above sixty-tive it would be the
better. In the night time fifty is high
enough.
Plants have an affection for the morn
ing sun. The first morning ray is worth 4
dozen in the evening. Should any Of our
fair readers find her plants, by some I'M
lucky calculation, frozen in the morning,
do not remove them at once to a warm
place, but dip them in cold water, and set
them in a dark spot, where they will
barely escape freezing. Sunlight will
only help the frost's destructive powers
The way to have early flowers is as
fellows: Sow your seeds in a box Of ricl
earth finely pulvcrized then place {
piece of porous paper newspaper will DO
over the top Of the earth and keep the
paper wet all the time. You may fire.
qucntly place pane Of glass also ovel
the top Of the box. Keep the box i'll ;
sunny window as much as possible
When it is time transplant into the flower
beds.
Plants in winter require very mucl
less water than in summer. Never waite
until the surface Of the soil is dry. Their
are exceptions to this in the shape 0
callas and such plants as require grca
deal Of water, but this is a good rule 70
most plants. a great many persons per
sist in watering plants daily, whether
is needed or not. In this way the sol
becomes sour and heavy and the plan
diseased Always use water moderated
warm.
TO obtain the Tree Mignoncttc, leave
single thrifty growing plant in a pot
carefully pinching off all flower buds q
they appear; when the plant has rcachc
about two feet, cut Off the top and civ
it wire stick for support, until it be
comes strong then trim it into tire
shape do not allow any flowers to AZ
pear until the plant is SIX months old
then allow it to bloom, but not to be-;
seeds. This tree will bear hundreds
flowers for cutting if properly trainc
and cared for
Z The best arrangement for displayin
cut flowers, as well as the most natur
Z and economical, is that of using any low
Z shallow vessel either Of glass or chin
z OF about the size and depth Of a SOU
Z plate. If this is filled with nice, fire.,
Z wood-moSS, made up in 4 slight
3 moundcd form, flowers and ornament
: sprays of leaves car be inserted in fire
3 natural-looking manner instead of havl
: that excessively formal appearance tn,
9 usually have closely packed in small vase
: or made into bouquets.
8 TO grow cuttings of gcraniums, tai
9 coarse, clean pewter or road sand, put
. in shallow box or flower pot, to t
depth of three inches; insert the cut el
Of the cutting about one inch deep thel
in, press the sand firmly around them, al
water freely at first; afterwards use
sparingly, just enough to keep the sal
moist; give them all the light you ca
> but not the direct sunshine; about six
degrees is the right temperature. o
- cause Of geranium cuttings turning bla
. is the keeping of them too wet. T
scented genanims are harder to root tn
the double and single zonales.