Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-11-13
gaaigs' GolMlllll.
THE CARE OF HOUSE PLANTS.

Jul Wv OilhS5o Aeto SioetOAt oiLhAAiohed.
Most persons can reeollect plants
that have been cultivated from year
to year so long that they seemed to
be members of the family. Grand
old lemon trees, fine specimens of
Laurestinus and Pittosporum are now
rarely seen in house culture, and the
Ivy, capable of such varied orna-
mental uses, is becoming uncommon.
When our dwellings were heated by
open wood fires, the chief care need
ed by the plants was to protect them
from the cold. At present this is
the least of our troubles, but others
have come to its place. Still, even
under all present disadvantages,
plants may be successfully cultivated
in the windows of the dwellings,, if
few simple directions are followed.
One great enemy to the house plants
is
DUsT.-If there are plant shelves
at the windows, or the pots are plac-
ed upon a table or stand, contrive
some cover for them at sweeping
time. This may be, for plants on
shelves, a curtain of some light ma
terial-the lighter the better, to be
suspended in such manner as to
cover them. If the plants are on a
table, contrive an upright post or
stick to be set in hole in the middle
of the table, to hold up the center of
a spread of some kind that will COW
er the plants. In the absence of
such protection, contrive some meth
cd of using old newspapers. Be-
fore sweeping, protect the plants by
the use of a covering, and let this
remain over them until the dust has
completely settled.
All smooth-leaved plants, especial
ly Ivy, Camellias, Cape-Jessamine,
and the like, should have their leaves
washed with soft sponge-a rag
will answer-on both sides, with tep-
id water, at least once week. If
this is once tried, it will be found
much less trouble than one would
suppose and the increased beauty of
the foliage will lead to its repetition.
Roueh-leaved plants, such as gerani-
ums, and many others, cannot be
washed to advantage. Set these in
a bath-tub, or in sink, and give
their leaves a good drenching by us
ing a garden syringe if one is at hand,
or else a watering pot, one with fine
holes, holding it up high so that the
water will fall with force upon the
leaves. After dust, the great trouble
with house plants is
INSECTS. one allows these to
get the mastery, the case is difficult ;
! but if the plants as soon as brought
indoors have proper attention, insects
need give but little trouble. The
three great remedies for insects upon
house plants are-the fingers, tobac-
co and water. One who loves plants
and watches them, will note the first
appearance of scale, mealy-bug, OIL
other insect large enough to be read
lily seen, and remove it. Scale may
be readily removed by blunt knife
and mealy-bug may be picked off by
match whitfield to point. Keep ;
supply of tobacco-water up on tobac
co-stems or any cheap kind of tobac
co. When used, this is to be dilut
ed, as the rule goes, ''to the color o
the clearinghouse tea" Diluted il
this manner it may be showered upol
plants infested with plant lice
Preferably, it may be placed in Ike:
or tub, and the plants infested wit
insects dipped in it for few seconds
moving them gently about. Th
: most troublesome of all insects i
dry rooms is the red spider, a minut
mite which attacks the undersides O
the leaves. When the leaves of
plant turn brown, red spider is tn
! probable cause. A frequent applica
ton of water, as mentioned unde
3 dust, is the remedy. In this case
. lay the pots on their sides SO that th
$ water will reach the under surface c
the leaves. Another lack of success
with house plants is
> Too MUCH WATER.-If q plant
= not in fourishing condition, the con
mon remedy is water, and it is wf
e tered again and continuously unit
the soil in the pot is merely mud,
e which only the roots of aquatic plant
can live. Vastly more house PLAN
are injured by too much than by Ii
tie water. There is but one rule fl
giving water to house plants, that
give water when it is needles
,g There should be no indiscrimina
daily watering, drenching all alik
m 1t is far better for plant to occ
ID p, sionally get a little dry, and for
leaves to flag and droop, than
on keep its roots soaked by an exec
of water. The soil in the pots
MS house plants should be moist, Ii
m that of good garden soil just belc
at the surface. If in this condition,
more water is needed. One by O
cb serving the soil, it's color, and t
manner in which it feels when pres
cd, ed by the finger can soon learn
judge whether water is needed
OF not. Another frequent trouble W
ho1Gp plaOtS iS