The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-08-28
Potting Plants.

A few plants, properly transplanted and
afterward carefully attended to, afford far
greater satisfaction to those who enjoy
flowers than larger number carelessly pot
ted in lumpy, poor soil, and allowed to
struggle along with little or no systematic
care.
Many persons so dislike 10 lose the garden
bloom of their plants that they defer the
transplanting until it is so cold they are
glad to dump them into pots in almost any
way. Then they are too often treated to
sunshine and shadow, water or drought.
in haphazard manner. Such care-takers
of flowers are the ones who wonder why
they shave such poor luck with house
plants" Good luck with house plants is
only insured by reasonable amount of
judicious treatment.
In potting plants cool, cloudy day
is better; if it rains the plants bear
their removal still better, particularly
if left out of doors until the sunshine
appears; then put them in some cool,
shady place for several days, keeping the
earth in the pots from becoming dry. Hello
tropes, lantanas and geraniums-desirable
plants, even among small collection-are
quite likely to wilt, and often die, unless
great care is taken in transplanting. In
potting large helotrope be sure the earth
is damp enough to adhere to the roots. Have
the pot sufficiently large to admit of bits of
charcoal and lime-very little lime-for
drainage The sides of the pot should be
we'll lined with rich soil, covering also the
coarse material at the bottom; after putting
the plant in, press the earth about it very
closely, and set the pot into q tub containing
several inches of water, and let it remain
few days; change the water or keep the
temperature cool by putting in a lump of
ice occasionally; then expose the p ant to
the sunshine gradually. Heliotropes and
other tender plants can be transplanted in
this way with perfect success, not a leaf even
willing.
Plants that have foEered very abundantly
through the summer should be allowed a
few weeks rest after transplanting and
being cut back. Geraniums in general
thrive best under very high living. AL
most every shade from white to the
deepest red is now grown. Six
thrifty plants, if placed in a south or south
west window, and their; wants attended to,
will be 'joy for-"the winter, at least.
Wise people say very lage plants, gersniums,
can be kept alive during the winter by
hanging them stalks downward in the cellar,
but my pets have come back to me dead
after such treatment The better way is to
pack them into box in dirt and set them
! in the cellar in some dark place. Plants gener-
| ally do not receive sufficient nourishment-
to enable them to bloom we'll through the
winter. They should be doctored frequently,
the earth stirred quite often, taking care not
to disturb the little root-feeders, and watered
regularly, not when the midday sun is
shining brightly upon them, either. Expe.
rience is the only teacher in
cultivating flowers, and the spasmodic
care-taker has our deepest sympathy, for we
were great success in killing every plant
we had for years. We believe in the cult
ure of house-plants. and yet we would not
give up every nook and corner for even q
thrifty, beautiful plant. We don't recon-
mend the home turned into conservatory
with pots here, there and everywhere
scarcely leaving pane of glass free for the
family to look through, OF be unable te
draw the curtains to keep the curious from
peering into the sanctity of the home circle