Morris tribune., 1883-01-18
FLOWERS IN WINTER.
Oraamentation OF Homes and Ana ass
1 ment for Ladies.

A late number of the New England
Farmer (Boston) has very reaoano
article under the above title, from "iiioA
we copy the following, for the deiec'a-
ton of our lady readers:
In the cultivation of flowers IN winner,
in our sitting rooms, the same laws must
be observe as in the culture OF no"eis
in the open ground. There must no! DO
too much heat Enor too little sunshine'
The soil must be rich and sufficiently
mellow. Moisture must be controleo'
and insects must be kept from doing
harm. As blooming plants car not thrive
even in summer, in dense shade, 80 IN
| winter they will look weak and punv IL
kept constantly in north window. an
| east or west Wlnoo" VIII
lido, but a southern exposure Will
give best results. During the
short days of winter, south window Will
| let in none too much sunshine. The num-
Der of plants must be governed by the
| amount of sunlight one can afford togiy
up to the flowers. Too many may dark
| ell the room and render it unpleasant or
| unhealthful for the inmates for whose
pleasure they are grown.
A few choice plants, well cared Tor,
| will give much greater satisfaction imam
a mass of sickly leaves and vines, so
crowded as to darken the room In
which they are kept, for our window
plants should add to, rather than take
from, the attractiveness and comfort OF
our rooms in winter. A single pot on
either side of "a window, and containing
| bright flower, or a single vine or Two
trained around it, with plenty. OF warm
sunshine flowing back and giving cheer
to the whole room, gives a charm
like single rosebud 10 an
| otherwise plainly dressed person. So In
| attempting the cultivation of towering
| plants in winter, do not attempt to do
| too much. Ifyou want a green house,
| then build a green house, but do not at
| tempt to turn your parlor into winter
| garden.
There is no cheaper nor perhaps bet
| ter way to sto"k up a window garden
| than to start slips or cuttings from the
| rlants in ones own grounds. The pur-
chased flowers are often grown to sell,
and do not improve very readily IN new
quarters. A purchased plant never
| gives half the pleasure and satisfaction
Of one equally good specimen grown IN
Ter ones own care In selecting varle-
4 tlES one SIlOuIu CllOooC DULL 40 van OSo~A
variation in temperature, for 1t is next
70 impossible to keep a living room or
Darlor at household heat all the time
during twenty-four hours. We
should select, then, such plants as VIII
do we'll in the temperature we
can easily maintain. 4 coal fire burn
ing day and night will enable US to Sc
lect from a wider range than If we must
depend upon wood fires, and old news
| papers and shawls for protection at night.
Outside windows screwed onto the win
dow frames, leaving dead air space be-
tween the sashes, are great protection
against frost.
We have seen the finest show Of winter
blooming plants in Northern Vermont
farm houses, thus protected. that We
have ever seen anywhere, and 1t was less
work to take care Of them that 1t would
have been in rooms single glazed ZUO or
300 miles further south. It is very de-
Isirable to have as even temperature as IS
MANY NAV be day and night, though 1t
should be little lower at night or when
the sun does not shine. Watering IS
very importont part Of winter gardening
Some water to often and too freely,
while others give to little, but the most
too irregularly Some plants
need a great deal of water, while others
should have bat little. Self draining
pots with loose gravel or something OF
the kind in the bottom are the best, as
tthey will leta surplus through. stand
| ing water will rot the roots Of any but
acouatic plants. The Gala lily and some
others will live in it.
Watering is best done at night, but
early in the day will do. Nature never
waters ulants while the sun is shining
1--we should learn lesson from her
Neither does she often sprinkle with
ice cold water. We should never forget
to temper those which we pour upon
ours in pots. Finally, We must love ou1
| flowers, and expect to give them some
of our time. a successful feeder OF hogs
s reported to have said that hog will
always do little better if the feeder
viii! stay and look at him little while
every time he gives the s~ill, which If
doubtless in a measure true. Flowers
will certainly do much better in houses
where the inmates love their pets and
like to give them little time and stten'
ton not absolutely called for.