South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-02
AN INDOOR GARDEN
FOR THE HOLIDAYS
The Expenditure of a Little
Time and Care viii Brighten
the House With Blossoms
and Greenery.

big oaks from little acorns grow
We have all been told as we struggled.
sometimes hopefully and sometimes
only doggedly, through childhood. But
it takes them a long, long time to
grow, we all found out through the
years that followed.
AS it is with oaks and acOrns, chill
dren and men and women, so it is
with seeds and bulbs and winter
bloom. You must begin at the very
insignificant beginning and wait and
watch and work for a long, long time
10 see results.
So begin your Christmas garden
now.
The requirements of flowers are not
many. We sometimes forget that the
desire or instinct or ability to live is
just as strong in the vegetable world
as Ii is in our world; stronger, per-
haps, for plants and flowers need
struggle only against physical ills,
since they have no minds to cOmpi-
cate their lives.
Ivy is one of the most satisfactory
of all indoor growers. You can slip
II now. and start it in bottles Of
water. with little sand in the bot
tom. Then little later plant the
rooted slips in good, loose soil, and
put il in the rooms where you want it.
Ivy is Satisfactory.
One flower lover-rather plant lover
has ivy growing at the sides of all
her windows She has green fishnet
curtains at the sides of the windows.
and the ivy scrambles sturdily up
these curtains. Very often the rooms
can be cleaned without removing the
ivy-simply by putting it on chair
or table and looping the curtains up
with it, But when II is necessary TO
n ,,
cleaning the ivy can be simply taken
into other rooms. When it is brought
back it begins TO cling as affection
ately and trustingly as ever TO its
friend the curtains, which it evil
IDENTIFY mistakes for some giants of the
forest glen.
1t is quite possible to have a little
wooden trellis, in ladder-wise fashion,
of two uprights, reaching to the top
OF the window, crossed by bars five or
six inches apart. The ivy can be
trained to this trellis, where it Will
thrive and grow.
Bulbs for Winter.
When you are buying bulbs, get the
best ones And after you have bas-
tered the growth and care of one sort.
set out TO learn about another sort.
The Chinese lily bulb is the easiest
and most satisfactory TO grow. Inc
same lover of greens and flowers who
has ivy at her windows is past mis-
tress of the art of growing Chinese
lilies She says II is no art, and says
she simply sticks one of the bulbs
into water every week or So, until
all the available dishes throughout
the house are filled.
1t is said that nothing but draughts
hurts these bulbs. and draughts Kill
them. The best way TO grow them is
10 leave them in a cool, Semi-dark
room until the roots are well formed
and the green growth has started.
Then take them into the light, and
give them sun when they are about TO
bloom.
They can be planted in stones. COW
cred with water, or they can be
nlanted in the prepared fibre sold by
some Of the seedsmen. A little sand
I'm the bottom Of a dish of stones and
water in which they are to grow is
advantageous TO the lilies. and a tiny
piece of charcoal in the water keeps
it sweet.
Success With Bulbs.
If you would have the best success
with Chinese lily bulbs, get the best
you can find and pay for they may
he had in packages OF so. imported
in that shape from China, and these
are usually satisfactory. The flowers
are already formed in the bulb when
you buy them, and unless mowers are
there. YOU cannot make them bloom
Therefore. pay for good bulbs If you
would have free flowers.
Other House Plants.
Geraniums. marguerites and bego-
Mas are perhaps the most satlsfac-
tory of all house plants. Geranluhs
and begonias give flowers for eight or
nine months. The marguerite has a
towering period of only three or four
months. but these months or beauty
make it worth cultivating.
All these plants can be raised from
cuttings. The marguerite cuttings
should be planted in soil light with
plenty Of good leaf mold Begonias
and Teranilms thrive in a rich soil
the richer the better.
The philadelphia candies stand Tor
quality and purity AuN|