CONTENTS. Growth of Plants. Situation and Exposure. Heat. Mois- ture. Temperature of Room. - Ventilation. Washing. - Syrin- ging. Watering. -Choice of Pots. - Window Flower Tables. → Window Shelves. - Potting. — Manuring. — Soil. — Peat. — Loam. THE CAMELLIA: History. - Culture. Soil. Temperature. Potting. Pruning. - Selection of Varieties. ORANGE AND LEMON TREES: Culture. Growth. - Blooming. - Varieties. - Seedlings. - Budding. THE DAPHNE: Pruning. - Potting. Varieties. Soil. THE AZALEA: Description. - Potting. — Culture. — Prun- ing. Varieties. THE HEATH: History. -Soil. Drainage. Watering. Hard and Soft Wooded. Temperature. - Summer Culture. Re-potting. Insects. Rooting Plants. Varieties. THE CYCLAMEN: Potting. - Soil. Growth. Seedlings. - Varie- ties. THE GERANIUM. THE PELARGONIUM: History. Culture. Soil. Potting. -Winter Treatment. Varieties. THE VERBENA: History. Culture. Cuttings. - Summer Culture. Potting for Winter. Watering. Soil.Seedlings. - Properties of a good Verbena. Window Culture. - Varieties. THE HELIOTROPE: His- tory. Culture. Pruning. Varieties. THE SALVIA, OR MEXI- CAN SAGE: Summer Culture. Winter Culture. - Varieties. THE (5) ROSES. CHINA ROSE: History. - Description. - Soil. -Prun- PINKS: Indian Pink. Carnation. Difference between Carnation and Picotee. Classes. Soil. Potting. Care of Flowers. Culture out of doors. Propagation. - Layers. - Pipings. — List MYRTLE: History. - Soil. - Culture. — Varieties. ACHÆNIA: Ease of growing. Soil. ABUTILON: Culture. Soil. - Varieties. THUNBERGIA: Sowing. -Training. - Insects. Soil. ALOYSIA, OR LEMON VERBENA: Culture. Soil. Watering. CALLA: Resting. — Blooming. Soil. CUPHEA: Culture. Pot- ting. -Soil. CACTUS: Divisions of the Family. Cereus: Sum- MAHERNIA: Description. Soil. Varieties. ing. Treatment. Soil. Description. SOLANUM: A Parlor Ornament. Culture. Soil. LAURESTINUS Description. Washing. HOYA: Description. - Flowering. - Watering. CHRYS- - STEVIA: Soil. Culture. PETUNIA: History. — Soil. Culture. FERNS IN THE PARLOR. CHRYSANTHEMUMS: Varieties for window culture. AGAVE, or CENTURY PLANT: Species. Culture. GE- ACWARREN M CHAPTER I. WINDOW GARDENING. Growth of Plants. Situation and Exposure.Heat.- Moisture. - Temperature of Room. - Ventilation.- Washing.-Syringing.- Watering. -Choice of Pots.- Window Flower Tables. - Window Shelves. (1) 34 Potting. Manuring. Soil. — Peat. Loam. Sand. Leaf Mould. grow plants to perfection in a room is not an easy thing. To insure any degree of success, a careful and constant attention to details is necessary. These details are all little things in themselves; they seem almost trivial; but their observance is imperative, if we would have our plants in healthy foliage and profuse bloom. It is by the neglect of all, or some of these, that plants grown in rooms usually present such a diseased, unhealthy appearance. Any one of us can call to mind some friend, who, as we say, is always successful with flowers; has blossoms when no one else can, and whose plants are models of health and beauty. We laughingly say, the flowers are his friends; he knows them, and they bloom for him; and so it is, in fact; he knows their peculiarities, attends to their wants, feeds them properly, affords the requisite light and air. Is it then a wonder that for him the grateful flowers put on their richest dress of green, and reach out their perfumed blossoms ? But before we give rules for growing window plants, let us look at these little things, which may come under the head of general instructions. And, first, the SITUATION. We have decided to grow window plants, and we must now choose our window. Let it, if possible, face the east or south; that is, be one which receives the full rays of the morning sun. If we are unfortunate enough not to have such a window, choose the one having the most sun; the afternoon sun is better than none at all. There are very few plants which will flourish without sunlight, and, as a general rule, the more we can obtain the better. If you have a bay window, looking south, you need ask nothing better. HEATING. If possible, choose a room where the temperature at night never falls below forty to forty-five degrees. Let this heat be maintained by an open fire, or by an air-tight stove, on which a large pan of water should be constantly evaporating. A furnace is injurious to plants, by reason |