Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 January 1875 — Management of House-Plants in Cold Weather. [ARTICLE]

Management of House-Plants in Cold Weather.

Many persons succeed admirably in their management of house-plants during the growing season so long as the weather is warm, but as soon as the growing year is over and potted plants require protection within doors they put on a deathly appearance. The indoor plants of a lady friend at this season of the year always appear as sickly, forlorn and withered as the solitary maid of two score and ten who now and then gets impressive glimpses of The doleful shades of the realm far off Where spinsters die of the whooping cough. During the warm weather her plants flourish luxuriantly, but as soon as cold weather comes on the plants are left on the veranda, where they get chilled almost to death. Then they are placed out of doors for several hours in the cold rain when the temperature of the atmosphere is almost down to freezing point. Such management ruins tender plants. Roses and geraniums are things of life. Cold winds and cold water applied to the leaves and to the soil in which they are growing is so detrimental to their vitality that all their beaunr and luxuriance will soon disappear. House-plants need an atmosphere of uniform temperature day and night. As often as once every week every pot should be submerged in tepid water, say for a few minutes, long enough to allow the water to fill all the pores in the soil. When' treated in this manner the warm water will convey sufficient heat to all the soil to warm up every particle. The pots should not be allowed to remain in the water and soak, and soak and soak until the vitality of the soil is completely drowned. Let the contents of each pot have one thorough submerging every week and then sprinkle the surface always with warm water as often as the soil begins to appear a little dry. In addition to the foregoing suggestions let the pots be kept on a high table or flower-stand in a room that is always comfortably warm. During the long and cold nights let the flower-stands be rolled away from the cold windows near the middle of the room. The gas from coal stoves frequently destroys all vitality in the leaves of growing plants. Insects on the leaves may be destroyed by dipping the branches in a strong soapsuds. After holding the leaves and stems in the warm suds for two or three minutes lei. the plants be washed with warm water. — Agricola , in N. T. Herald. The grandmother of the; bride at a wedding in Covington, Ky., recently* officiated as bridesmaid. . '