Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-30

From the Country Gentleman
When the days are shortening. and {" the year
| trembles with decay, like an old man who leans
upon his staff" all lovers of flowers should have
| made preparations for them i'm the windows of
their apartments. where every one can enjoy tie
luxury Of raising at least few plants to sweetcn
| and refine the home life, and to feed unon the
arbonc acid gas Of the air. There is nothing
| more attractive to the passcr-by than plants and
flowers in the easements and when the gardens
| are covered with snow and frost and the earth
is held i'm the stern letters Of winter. there is no
occupation for the housewife more cheering
than that of window gardening.
Some one has said that mans dignity is no
| more lowered by caring for flowers than it is
| by manifesting piety. for flowers are the
fayorites of the Creator of the world. and We
offer acceptable worship to Him in caring for
them. One of tie oldest of religious customs
was the beautiful practice Of adjoining the
shrines of the temples with flowers; and IL is
a hopeful national sign to find the culture of
flowers so widely extended. and to see them
so generally used in ornamenting the churches
III winter. as well as in summer, all over the
United States
Warmth, moisture. fresh air and sunlight. are
the Chief essentials for plant growth with fresh
soil; no one can hope TO make plants bud and
Hover in perfection unless the soil Is replen-
isfed every autumn. IL the pots OF boxes are
large. the earth can be carefully removed about
the sides and taken out without greatly disturb
ing the fbrous roots. Then fresh soil can be
| added. and if it can be easily obtained from
nelghbOr1ng florist, il is much better to pur-
chase than to prepare it. Rut the woods offer
an excellent compost to all who will seek il
Under the pine trees cast-off needles YOU viii
find dark rich soil. which is most desirable for
reporting roses. fuchsas. eeraniums begonias
DOuvardias, carnations. heotropes and other
plants. If it is little sandy, much the bet
ter. but one-quarter part of thoroughly decayed
stable manure will increase its fertilizing powers
| largely.
| If the pots are small. run knire around the
edges; turn the balls out into the left hand and
tear of the matted roots and cnging soil Fill
up pot one size larger with the fresh earth
and transplant. pressing the soil very closely
around the roots. Put at least al inch more of
compost upon the top of the pot. Water it SO
| that the lower roots will not be dry place out
| of the sun for two or three DAYS and soon the
plant will show the benefit it has received from
change OF pots and soil.
All house plants should be pruned and pinched
into symmetrical shape. and when the branches
look sickly and shed their leaves cut them of
| Always remove every dry leaf and cut away
| the faded flowers; and with tea roses cut back
| the blooming stalks at least one-half. as the
pruning tends to produce more Towering stalks
from the roots, which bear the finest roses.
Plants have different atmosphere in window
gardens from that in which they live when
growing in the open air. and therefore will not
be as vigorous and healthy, unless due atten-
| ton is given to them by showerinp or dustjnp
Oft their leaves occasionally. Once q fortnight.
thIck-leaved plants should be sponged of with
warm water TO remove the dust which settles
upon them and closes the pores of the leaves,
thereby making them sickly. A syringe will
| initiate a miniature shower and brush broom
dipped into pail of warm water and shaken
over them, will also increase the health of the
! plants
| Watering must be duly attended to. but as
general rule plants in window gardens suffer
| more from too much water than from too small
supply. Amateur gardeners incline to drench
their plants every morning. without looking to
| see whether they require it OF not; and soon
the plants will drOOp and wither because their
roots are sOdden with the moisture. and they
VIII probably die before the spring comes. This
is frequently the case with geranums and all
kinds of succulent plants. which need little
watering until their buds start ana then, with
the exception of cactuses. sempervivums. and
Ifdss7ta pe7.fohdtd. they needit only every other
day. or once in three days.
1t is good plan to withhold water from all
plants until the top of the earth looks quite dry,
and then give plentiful supply.
- Bottom heat" as the florists term it, can be
| obtained insR indOw gardening BY turning boil
| ing water into the Saucers of the flower pots
which is soon absorbed by the roots MANY
kinds OF plants, such coleus achyranthes
DC. are made more thrifty by being kept upon
the mantelpiece behind a stove or over the
Kitchen range, excepting when the sun shines
h0tly through the windows as this plan ewes
heat to their roots. where it is much needed
The best location for the window garden is a
southeastern or eastern exposure as the morn
ing sun has always the most life-giving power.
and will develop the most healthful growth in
vegetation
Among the best plants for the window garden
are camelias. azaleas. cyclamens. orange and
lemon trees. carnations, tea roses. Bourbon
roses. salvias. geraniums of all kinds heliotropes.
bouyardas. begonias, yiolets fuchsias-the win
ter-fioWering varieties callas. calceolarias Gin
erarias. and cactuses mingled with ivies and
running vines Of various kinds
DAISY EYEBRIGHT.