The Washington herald., 1914-01-06
WON IN "A Nd THE HOME
THE WINTER GARDEN
REPAYS ATTENTION
Rests Of Plants Should Not d DE-
turbsd At Al During csld
Weafhey.

Weather.
No one who has not seen really well
cared for and healthy collection Of house
they can lend to the room In which. they
live. Unhealthy plants are depressing.
and unless. enc Ii willing to give the WIN
dow garden q reasonable amount Of care
Il II better to dispense with IL altogether.
The house plants will cheerfully repay
any intelligent attention, though they re-
sent rneddling. The real gardener. the
one who has the true love Of flowers az
heart. knows when TO leave well enough
alone. Do not disturb the roots at all
during the winter unless they are at
tackled by insects. for most plants are
resting and cannot then put out new
shoots. This is particularly true Of such
plants as palms, rubber plants. and ferns.
which had best be shifted and fed with
fertilizers only in the. summer. Soft
wooded plants. like geraniums, are not
easily injured by transplanting: but even
90 IL they need extra feeding on account
Of large growth. IT Is much better given
In liquid form.
One of the prettiest ways Of arranging
potted plants in a window is to place the
tall ones at the sides. leaving the center
for the low bushy varieties In this way
all have an equal glimpse of the sun. II
II well to turn the plants half way about
each day that their growth may be SYM
metrical. and to change the position of
the plants occasionally. Do not be afraid
to pinch back any unruly branches that
threaten to grow out Of bounds and spoil
the shape of the plant.
Most Important.
Most important in the care of the house
plant is the attention given to its water
ing. 1t can more easily be drowned than
killed by drought. II the plant Is in a
jardiniere do not by any means allow
the water to collect in the bottom. A
brick raising the plant will prevent any
water which may happen to remain from
.rotting the roots. When the surface of
the soil looks dry plunge the plant. pot
and all. into a bucket OF water and let 1t
remain until the air bubbles cease to rise,
when you will know II is thoroughly
soaked Let the plants drain well before
they are put back on their saucers. When
the plants are having their drink take
this opportunity to give their foliage a
needed bath, for dust on the leaves Ia
a menace tc the plants good health. A
rubber spray will wash the leaves most
conveniently. Be sure that the under
sides are thoroughly cleansed. A little
soap added to the water can do no harm
BCCdSioudliN- htcp pldntH OUT OI tnt
dust as much as possible a. all times. A
light cheese cloth covering thrown over
them on sweeping day will save the pores
in the leaves from becoming clogged.
There Is no advantage gained in wiping
the leaves with milk or oil. In fact. II
can do only harm; it may make them
shine for a while. but IL offers a collect
ing place for dust. wiping the leaves of
a rubber plant or palm daily is all that is
necessary for a healthy plant.
When the window garden needs a fer
tilizer 1t is most easily supplied by the
special pla.It foods put up in tablet or
liquid form, though COW manure diluted
at the rate If twenty-five gallons of wat
er TO the bushei is excellent. Be sparing.
though. - Jour use OF any fertilizer. 1t
is better to use 3. little at a time than a
great deai occasionally. No one can tell
exactly how much to use on a plant. Be
gin with weak applications and observe
their effect II the plan grows well. you
are giving enough. As IL develops the
plant will be able to use larger amounts
and you can gradually increase the sup
ply. Bone meal dug into the soil in
small amounts, a tablespoonful to a
seven-inch pot, Is excellent The bone
meal is not so rapid in effect as the liquid
fertilizer. Be sure it Is really needed be-
fore adding more. Even weakened soap
suds forms a good tonic, II nothing else
is at hand. but beware Of such freak rem
edies as applications of oil or Of raw meat
to the roots. The oil is positively danger
Gus, as II clogs the soil and forms a
coating owe. the roots, making II impos-
sible for them to take moisture properly.
Effective Remedy.
II plant ceases to flourish and you
cannot find the trouble in surrounding
conditions it may be that an aphis is at
lacking the -oot. 1t can be found by dig
ging down near the base OF the stem.
Watering With tobacco water is gener-
ally effective In Kidding the plant of this
pest, or IL may be necessary to wash the
roots with whale oil soap. and then re-
pot il in fresh soil.
The red spider Is also very destructive.
Its presence will be noted by the numer-
Gus yellow spots on the leaves. Swinging
them thoroughly will rid them of the
pest. Spraying with whale oil soap will
remove scale.
II a cool night catches you unawares,
and your plants become nipped with
frost, do not despair; il may be that
they are not beyond recovery. II you
find your plants looking about as usual
after a very cold night, it is well to ex-
anime them, for the injury done by the
frost will not make itself evident until
the heat Of the room causes them to wilt.
II the frost has touched them the leaves
will be quito brittle anc will snap when
touched. The minute the damage is dis
covered and before the plants have been
allowed to thaw, take them into a cool
room. The cellar will serve IL its tenn
be above the freezing point.
Here they must be drenched with cold
water. Use quantities of IL and be sure
1t is cold-warm water will cause them
to thaw out too quickly. The cold water
will gradually draw the frost and thus
avoid rupturing the. cells. When the
plants are thoroughly wet, draw the
shades and leave them in the dark for
two or three days. When 1t seems that
the frost has been all drawn out the tenn
perature ca. be gradually raised to that
Of the nving-room. After such an ordeal
plants have to be treated very gently.
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