Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-01-14
Ivy Culture in tho House.

| The following hints on window Quilt
IRE Of the ivy vine are from various
authorities on the subjects 40 niNl
| The Journal ofHortic,iit,re says that
the use of English ivies for the purpose
of decorating living rooms is more ex-
tensive every year, and cannot be too
highly commended. Being very strong
they will live through any treatment;l
but study their peculiarities and mani
fest willingness to crafty them, and
they will grow without stint. Most
houses arc not toe hot for them, as, in
deed, they are for their owners. Neither
plants nor people should have the tenn
peratnro over sixty-five degrees Fahr-
enheiL Take care not to enfeeble your
| ivies by excessive watering or undue
heat, and you will see they will not
seem to mind whether the sun shines
on them or not or in what position or
direction you train them. Indeed, SO
much as they do themselves to make
the room charming, that we would
rather have an unlimited number of
them TO draw upon than anything else
in the nature of art. ...i,..r.a ..l.t
Do you wish the ugly, plain door that
| shuts off your tiny entry to your parlor
| to be arched or curved like those in the
drawing rooms of our richer ncighborsp
Buy couple of brackets, such rs lamps
for the burning of kerosene are some
times placed on and screw them,in the
sides Of the door. Put in each q plant
of English ivy, the longer the better,
then train the plants over the top,
against the sides, indeed, any way your
fancy dictates. You need not buy the
beautiful but costly pots the flower
dealer will advise; the common glazed
ones will answer every purpose, for by
placing in each two or three sprays of
Coliseum ivy, ina months time no
vestage of the pot itself can be dis
cerned through their thick screen. .s
A writer in the Americdn Cmlttcdtor
says: "While visiting my old home the
past summer made many calls, and
among them one to a lady who is noted
throughout the villagefor the beauty of
| her ivies. never saw any more lovely.
Though comparatively young plants
they were stalky, while the leaves were
of that clean, glossy green which is sell
dom seen outside the greenhouse. sa
" asked her, after having admired
| the plants sufficiently, what is the Sc
cret of your successp' She assured me
that it was no secret, adding, 1 put q
| piece of beefsteak at the roots every
| spring and fall, and this is the result
.' But does not the odor of decaying
beef annoy YOUR .dl .yrilnSt lgLfo
ID "a. 1t never has, and why should itp
Won't people fill the pots half full of
stable richness and never even think of
offensive cdorsp"'
"On my return to Worcester put
some steak-a piece perhaps two inches
thick-under the roots of my ivy, and
in a week or two it began to run, and
has grown very rapidly ever since"
"Now, perhaps other decaying ma =
ter would do as well, but l can tru y
recommend the steak as having been
tried. Many say too much richness will
kill the plant, but know from expert
ence that vines, all kinds of ivies, air
plants and maderias cannot have too
much. Use mixed dressing, such as
has been made ready for the garden,
two-thirds of this and one of common
earth, and your vines will grow rank
and beautiful, astonishing you with large
leaves and stout stems" =.
A lady writer says, Each leaf is
rubbed on both sides with sweet oil,
and after the pots are put in place, one
on each side of the folding doors, the
vines are carefully trailed and secured
by small strings and tacks to the wood
work. The branches of the vines on
the opposite side of the arch are inter-
laced as they meet, so that no division
is apparent. The earth in the pots is
watered daily.
MRS. P. oils the leaves of both oi
her large vines in three or four hours,
by simply moistening her fingers in oil
and lightly rubbing each leaf on both
sides at the same time. She is amply
repaid BY the entire absence of mould
or whiteness from the leaves, and the
fresh vigorous appearance of the plant
notwithstanding its exposure to furnace
heat and gas, usually prejudicial to par.
lor plants"
If ivy plants that have been kept in.
doors during the winter be put in the
ground the north side of the house fol
the summer, they will be benefited by
the change. Such treatment renews the
strength of the plants, making then
better for house-culture the following
winter. The ivy is SO hardy that it viii
bear being put out of doors very early
in the spring. / find it better not tt
take the plants out of the pots, but t.
plunge" them. A little common linn,
put under them serves to keep the eartl
worms out. When ready to remove ivy
plants to the house in autumn. replant
if necessary, but in pots only size
larger than those they are taken from
The scale insects that sometimes infest
these and other hard-wooded plants cal
be destroyed by washing in soapsuds
but they must be rinsed immediatel.
after in clear, soft water. The iv,
must be kept free from dust, to preserv
the rich gloss of its leaves. Ivy plant
should have the support of trellises, t.
which they can easily be trained in an.
way to suit the taste Boston Tran
script.