The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-11-26
AOUSEKOLD PLANTS.
How Bulbs. Insects md Cuttings may be
Treated.


Bulbs Of nearly all kinds are now in de-
mand for room-fowering. Hyaeinths, tu-
lips, and narcissus are most popular. The
essential point in cultivation with these
when procured in the dried bulbs from the
seed stores, is to have them at once ported
in rich soil in five or six-inch pots, and
placed in a dark, cool cellar, until they
form roots, when they may be brought into
the light to flower. By bringing them in
from their cool and dark quarters at differ
emit times, O succession of bloom can be had
the entire winter 1t requires from two TO
three weeks in temperature averaging
seventy degrees to bring them into full
bloom. This. season large quantities of the
new bulb known as Bermuda IAlyn are
grown. It's culture is very similar TO that
of the Hyacinth and other bulbs, except
that it is somewhat more hardy The
method practised by those who are forcing
1t in greenhouses is quite suitable for Its
cultivation in the sitting room. Such bulbs
as are potted in September OF October can
be placed outside in the open ground, and
covered with leaves or litter to the depth OF
six inches. When roots, by examination,
are found to be formed around the ball OF
earth, they should be brought into the
room. These will bloom throughout Janu-
airy and February. If potted in November
or December, and placed in cool cellar or
cold frame, and covered the same as recon-
mended for those put out of doors, until
they also form roots, and if then brought
into the sitting-room window, they will
bloom in February and April, if the tempera.
ture is TOO. Each bulb will give from three
to twelve flowers.
Chinese primroses are excellent window
plants, being low, neat, and compact. They
keep literally covered with bloom during
the darkest days of winter. The colors in
single varieties are confined to white,
crimson, and the different shades of pink !;
in double specimens white and pink are the
only colors. Cyclamens are always interest
ing and dainty plants for the sitting-room
windows their culture is similar to the
hyacinths, If the bulbs are obtained in the
dry state. Their colors are limited to vio-
let, crimson, pink, and rose color, and
white.
The bugbears of house plants are the in.
sects that attack them, usually the red
spider, mealy bug, or green fly. The latter
is easily destroyed by tobacco In any form !;
but the two former are more difficult to
Danish from plants in rooms if the leaves
ire faithfully sponged with weak soap suds,
these pests will disappear.
One of the most interesting operations for
those cultivating plants in rooms is propa-
CATION from cuttings or slips. There are
elaborate and complicated methods in use
for this purpose by professional florists
the most simple, safe, and satisfactory pro-
cess for an amateur is what is known as the
saucer system, which consists in filling
saucers or soup plates with pure sand, in
Producing the cuttings into it, and then
keeping the sand saturated with water until
the cuttings root, which will usually be in
ten or fifteen days, providing the saucers
are kept in the light in temperature aver
aging from TO- to 75s. After the slips are
rooted they should be put in small pots and
shaded from the sun for week or SO until
they root.