Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-10-25
Farm and Home


A writer in Ticks Magazine SAYS have
ALWAYS been afforded great satisfaction by
the petunia. not the double ones. but the
ordinary strain grown in the summer garden.
Every season prepare plant or two for
winter use. | start them in August. taking
cuttings from such varieties that suit me
best By the time cold weather comes,
have nice. thrifty plants. which generally
begin to blossom as soon as brought into the
house. Put in a sunny window they will
fairly run riot. and you will have flowers by
the dozen. When the blos>omng branches
have grown to be long and slender. cut them
hack within FIVE or six inches Of the top Of
the not. and new ones will Start at once
Petunia> are not often troubled with aphis
or red spider. and dry air does not affect
them much.
generally grow mine as basket plants
letting the branches droop. Some prefer
to fasten them 10 a trellis. In either way
they grow well They will furnish a crop IF
flowers all winter. and their bright color~
make any room cheerful. You have no
other flowers AT hand to select from take
half dozen into TIE house for winter use,
and warrant YOU much pleasure from them
if YOU do not let them freeze. They -four
ish best in a rich soil to which considerable
sand has been added. The single kinds are
much to be preferred to the double ones for
ordinary rooms as they bloom more profuse-
" and their buds are not likely TO blast.
The Chinese and Japan pinks very
good plants for the house if YOU select Young
plants which have no; exhausted themselves
by blooming. Cut off all buds when YOU
pc, them Keep them in the coolest win
dow YOU have. They will begin TO bloom in
January and from that time YOU viii have
many flowers. Perhaps YOU will have to
fumigaie them occasionally to keep down
the green fly, but that is not much of a task,
if YOU have a tight box into which YOU can
put YOUR plants, with tobacco scattered over
Goals in a dish in the bottom. 1t is always
best to dampen tobacco before using il for
fumisatng purposes, because II gives eff a
denSer smoke and does not burn up so
quickly. ANY one having many plants will
find the smokers used By beekeeper> just
the haudest thing they can get for fumiga-
ting. The tobacco can be ligltca in the
tube, and the bellows at the end forces out
strong blast Of smoke. which can be d.
rrcted where YOU see fit 10 have il 20.
Ncrbenas can be made to bloom all win
ter if new plants are used. They are not 50
easily managed as the petunia on account Of
liability TO rust or midcw. but have
found an occasional busting Of the under
side Of the leaves with sulphur to be a pretty
sure preventive Of this trouble. do not
wait for the rust or mildew TO make its APP
pearance, but use the sulphur to guard
against it. Stock, or gillifiower. will bloom
well in the house | would select double
plant and pot it soon as the character of
It's flowers was ascertained. On potting
would cut ii back and keep all buds pinched
off through the summer. The pot can be
sunk in the border till frosty nights come.
Keep in cool place. You will find it more
satisfactory than many greenhouse plants.
The nasturtium will bloom constantly in a
sunny window all through the winter if too
rich a soil and too much heat are not given.
If they are, too rank growth will be forced
and you will have but few flowers. 1t
makes very brilliant plant for the window,
lis scarlet and yellow flowers contrasting well
with its bright green foliage. Sweet alys-
sum makes most charming plant for a
hanging basket. if YOU sow seed il August,
Or, very likely. YOU can find Young plants
in the garden coming up from self-sown
seed.