The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-02-07

None Too Early.
During Feoruary, mouse plants will
require more attention than was
given them during December, because
this is the month when the coolest
weather may be expected. On in
tensely cold nights papers should be
pinned back of the plants to protect
them from the frost that is sure to
accumulate on the windows. If they
are in a room where the fire is al
lowed to become low, it might be ad-
visable to place an oil heater near
them, or at least have a large lamp
in the window. Sometimes it is bet
ter to remove the plants to a warmer
room. If you have any doubt as to
their being frost-bitten, that is the
safest thing to do. But if any of
your plants should become frosted
promptly immerse them in a tub of
cold water and leave them there until
the frost has been removed from the
foliage. Under no circumstances
place them near a fire to thaw out
as that would cause their certain
death. Too much can not be said
about the Importance of watering in
door plants at this season. In ad-
dition to the moisture absorbed by
the heat from the stove or furnace, a
great deal evaporates in the sun, and
itrequires close attention for one to
know exactly how much water should
be applied. A good way TO Lo,i when
the plants need moisture is to note
when the soil in the pot becomes gray
and crumbly on top. AS long as it
appears moist, however, water is not
needed and if applied will probably
injure the plants. In watering any
plant be sure that the moisture per-
meates the soil to the roots, other
wise it will be of no value. Plants in
hanging baskets and boxes require
more moisture than those in the win
dow, because they are up high, where
the air is warmer and the soil dries
out much faster. Never let such
plants become thoroughly dry, or
they may be seriously injured.
Those who have palms, fcuses and
other similar plants should spray
them at least once week. If plants
are kept clean, they are less suscepti-
BILE to attack by the red spider and
other plant enemies. Only by being
constantly on the lookout for insects
can they be prevented from gaining
a foothOld in your window garden
While it will be several months yet
before outdoor gardens can be start
ed, it Is none too early to begin
planting for them.
Seed Sowing.
February is none too early to begin
II one wants extra early panses,
petunias, etc. The days are growing
brighter then, and the catalogues are
beginning to come in, our enthusiasm
reviyes, and we just long to be doing
something. The window garden is
fourishing, the early planted bulbs
blooming, and beside the usual
watering and stirring of the soil there
is nothing especially needed in the
window garden. So, If you have put
away good supply of prepared soil,
as you ought to, you can get out
few seed boxes. / use cigar boxes
and tin cans cut down. The soil !
prepared last fall is composed of
leaf-mOld, old, well-rOtted manure
and sandy garden soil. This is good
for most all kinds of seeds, and for
repotting house plants. My seed
boxes have the bottoms full of holes,
and ! put quite a bit of charcoal in
the bottom of the boxes, and sift the
soil through a piece of old screen.
Fine seeds, like petunia, do not need
to be covered, but simply pressed
down into the soil. | use a small,
smooth block of wood for that pur-
pose. AS all floral writer's advise
bottom heat | devised a way to give
this from a stove in the sitting room,
where there is fire day and night in
cold weather. ] have a shelf, pa
pered so as to look neat, and here |
put my boxes until the young plants
are up, which is in a very short time
with most seeds Large seeds like
Gamma and acacia | plant an inch
deep in a small flower pot or can,
having previously soaked them in hot
water. AS soon as the young plants
are up they are moved to a west win
dow. An east or south window would
do as well or better, ] suppose, but
the west window is generally empty
and the others full of plants, and
close to the glass in the east window
the seeding do well. Later they are
carried to an upstairs window in a
room without artificial heat, and on
warm, sunny days the windows are
opened, and still later they are put
out of doors to harden off, and pro-
tected on cold nights. In this way
one can have nice stout plants, some
OF them budded by transplanting
time, and it is not so much trouble
as it seems. A cold frame simplifies
matters a good deal If you are for
tunate enough to possess one. |
always water my seed boxes from be-
low, that is, set them in an inch or