Watering Window Plants. — There is nothing that seems to bother more those who would grow window flowers than how often to water them. It is an exceedingly simple thing to those who have had experience, though so mysterious a thing to those who have had none. When the skilled gardener is asked for advice he says, " Water only when the plants need it," but this tells the inquirer nothing. There still remains to be understood how to tell when plants need water. After all, this is a species of knowledge that cannot well be taught by another. It has to be learned from experience. The good plant cultivator tells from the color of the earth ; but even this is a relative term. There is dark soil and there is light soil ; but all soils are darker when they are wet than when dry. One can soon learn this by experimenting a little; and can soon tell whether the earth is dry or wet by the eye or finger alone. If it is wet it of course wants no more water; if much lighter than its usual color, the earth is dry and needs some. It is an exceedingly simple matter to those who will try to learn; to those who cannot learn themselves it is a hopeless task. There is one hint that we may give that may be of value. If the earth never gets dry, the plants are not in good con- dition. Something is wrong. It is the active, growing, working roots that take the moisture out of the earth. It is a sign of good health for the plant to want frequent watering. Window Gardening. — Among the difficulties that beset window gardening in the winter are: i. Lack of room. Most window gar- deners use by far too large pots. Four or five inch pots will do for nearly all the plants usually grown. When the plants are lifted in the fall, cut back sharply. Remove nearly every leaf and all flower buds ; then reduce the ball of earth to three or four inches in diame- FLORICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE. 269 ter, and pot accordingly. Give the plant a cool, shady place till well started, then place in your window. Water occasionally with weak liquid manure. Geraniums and roses intended for the garden in the spring can thus be kept in large numbers, but without expectation of profuse bloom. 2. Lack of flowers. The only remedy is to keep just that number of plants that you can give full light and keep near the glass, with the temperature ranging from fifty to seventy or a little more. A few plants will bloom well somewhat back from the window, but heliotropes, geraniums, bouvardias, roses, require abundance of sunshine. 3. Abundance of bugs. These are natural scavengers provided to prevent you from being poisoned by sick plants. They indicate false conditions of growth. The affected plant is rotting at the roots from standing water or lack of drainage, or it is sick for want of sunshine. Bugs abound out-of-doors where there is damp shade or a tree disturbed in its adjustment of root and branch. Doctor your plants and lice will generally vanish. Red spiders ap- pear only where the atmosphere is too dry. Dust and dirt on the leaves, closing the pores, also induce diseases and calls in the scav- engers. 4. Damping-off and mildew. This is due to a false system of watering, in connection with the low state of atmosphere. Great mistakes are made in watering. It seems nearly impossible to induce some plant lovers from trying to grow all their plants in a marsh.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Watering Window Plants. — There is nothing that seems to bother more those who would grow window flowers than how often to water them. It is an exceedingly simple thing to those who have had experience, though so mysterious a thing to those who have had none. When the skilled gardener is asked for advice he says, " Water only when the plants need it," but this tells the inquirer nothing. There still remains to be understood how to tell when plants need water. After all, this is a species of knowledge that cannot well be taught by another. It has to be learned from experience. The good plant cultivator tells from the color of the earth ; but even this is a relative term. There is dark soil and there is light soil ; but all soils are darker when they are wet than when dry. One can soon learn this by experimenting a little; and can soon tell whether the earth is dry or wet by the eye or finger alone. If it is wet it of course wants no more water; if much lighter than its usual color, the earth is dry and needs some. It is an exceedingly simple matter to those who will try to learn; to those who cannot learn themselves it is a hopeless task. There is one hint that we may give that may be of value. If the earth never gets dry, the plants are not in good condition. Something is wrong. It is the active, growing, working roots that take the moisture out of the earth. It is a sign of good health for the plant to want frequent watering. Window Gardening. — Among the difficulties that beset window gardening in the winter are: i. Lack of room. Most window gardeners use by far too large pots. Four or five inch pots will do for nearly all the plants usually grown. When the plants are lifted in the fall, cut back sharply. Remove nearly every leaf and all flower buds ; then reduce the ball of earth to three or four inches in diame- ter, and pot accordingly. Give the plant a cool, shady place till well started, then place in your window. Water occasionally with weak liquid manure. Geraniums and roses intended for the garden in the spring can thus be kept in large numbers, but without expectation of profuse bloom. 2. Lack of flowers. The only remedy is to keep just that number of plants that you can give full light and keep near the glass, with the temperature ranging from fifty to seventy or a little more. A few plants will bloom well somewhat back from the window, but heliotropes, geraniums, bouvardias, roses, require abundance of sunshine. 3. Abundance of bugs. These are natural scavengers provided to prevent you from being poisoned by sick plants. They indicate false conditions of growth. The affected plant is rotting at the roots from standing water or lack of drainage, or it is sick for want of sunshine. Bugs abound out-of-doors where there is damp shade or a tree disturbed in its adjustment of root and branch. Doctor your plants and lice will generally vanish. Red spiders appear only where the atmosphere is too dry. Dust and dirt on the leaves, closing the pores, also induce diseases and calls in the scavengers. 4. Damping-off and mildew. This is due to a false system of watering, in connection with the low state of atmosphere. Great mistakes are made in watering. It seems nearly impossible to induce some plant lovers from trying to grow all their plants in a marsh.

The hearthstone; or, Life at home