THE CARE oF House Piants.—When plants are frosted sprinkle with fresh cold water, and place under a box or something that will exclude the light and prevent too great a change in temperature. Keep them thus for two days. After sprinkling, be careful to put them where they will not chill again. Horse-manure, two years old, is best for carnations. For bego- nias good drainage is indispensable. The whole family thrive in a compost of one-half loam and one-half leaf-mold with a slight portion of sand. From September to February give pelargoniums only enough water to keep them from wilting; then water freely, aud when they begin to bud, apply a little liquid-manure, or add ammonia to the water twice a week. Double gerani- ums should be kept in small pots, as they will not bloom well until the roots become compact. They require a higher temperature than the single varie- ties. During warm weather, the foliage of fuchsias should be well sprinkled every evening to prevent its becoming seared too early. To obtain plants of | the greatest beauty in form and color, plenty of light and space is essential. Do not allow the foliage of one plant to overshadow another.—Mrs. Prof. F. Wood. Hints asour Puants.—Few things are necessary for the successful culti- vation of house plants. <A patient, untiring spirit is most important. The . other requisites are plenty of sunlight, fresh air, and water when they need it. Itis better to give a good supply of water when called for by drooping leaves, than to give a little at a time often. Never leave pots to set in water in saucers except for the calla lily. To repot, turn plants upside down on the left hand, rap pots sharply with stick; this will loosen it from the ball of earth; lift it off, and place the plant ina pot two sizes larger, or in the ground.. Do not leave the soil too rich with manure but well mixed, and composed of sod-soil, wild or leaf-mold, and well-rotted stable manure. Cut plants back pretty closely when you change them, and they will thrive bets ter afterwards. Water well at first, then only moisten slightly until they begin to grow. A good rule for watering plants is once a week in winter if the weather is mild, or when it has moderated, have a gallon watering-can filled with blood-warm water, stir in a tea-spoonful of aqua ammonia, and | as you set the plants in a convenient place (I set mine on the kitchen floor), pour in pot a plentiful supply of this warm water, and after this, sprinkle well with warm water without ammonia. In summer two or three times a week is the rule. Ivies need large pots, and should be repotted every year in the summer time. A good way to start slips is to partly break off the slip, but do not entirely sever it from the parent stock, leaving it hanging for ten or twelve days; then remove, and plant in a box of half sand or brick-dust and half leafs mold, and it will be well rooted in a week. Do not water too freely, or the slip will rot. This is better for both slip and plant, as the slip will get nourishment from plant while healing over, and its removal will not weak- en the plant so much. Hyacinths are very attractive flowers for window- gardening, and at the same time require very little care or trouble. Get the bulbs in the fall before frost from any good florist (Vick is my favorite), and keep in a cool place until December, then plant each one in a four- inch pot with soil one-fourth sand, one-fourth well-rotted manure, one-fourth garden or sod-soil, and one-fourth broken bits of moss and leaf-mold; water thoroughly at first, and set in dark closet until the first of J anu- ary, then bring to light and give plenty of water. A very good way is to set half a dozen or more pots in a large dripping-pan, pour hot (not boiling) water in pan, and let set for one hour. After they are done blooming, let them dry out gradually. They will not bloom the second season as well as the first.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

THE CARE OF HOUSE PLANTS.—When plants are frosted sprinkle with fresh cold water, and place under a box or something that will exclude the light and prevent too great a change in temperature. Keep them thus for two days. After sprinkling, be careful to put them where they will not chill again. Horse-manure, two years old, is best for carnations. For begonias good drainage is indispensable. The whole family thrive in a compost of one-half loam and one-half leaf-mold with a slight portion of sand. From September to February give pelargoniums only enough water to keep them from wilting; then water freely, and when they begin to bud, apply a little liquid-manure, or add ammonia to the water twice a week. Double geraniums should be kept in small pots, as they will not bloom well until the roots become compact. They require a higher temperature than the single varieties. During warm weather, the foliage of fuchsias should be well sprinkled every evening to prevent its becoming seared too early. To obtain plants of | the greatest beauty in form and color, plenty of light and space is essential. Do not allow the foliage of one plant to overshadow another.—Mrs. Prof. F. Wood. HINTS ABOUT PLANTS.—Few things are necessary for the successful cultivation of house plants. A patient, untiring spirit is most important. The . other requisites are plenty of sunlight, fresh air, and water when they need it. It is better to give a good supply of water when called for by drooping leaves, than to give a little at a time often. Never leave pots to set in water in saucers except for the calla lily. To repot, turn plants upside down on the left hand, rap pots sharply with stick; this will loosen it from the ball of earth; lift it off, and place the plant ina pot two sizes larger, or in the ground.. Do not leave the soil too rich with manure but well mixed, and composed of sod-soil, wild or leaf-mold, and well-rotted stable manure. Cut plants back pretty closely when you change them, and they will thrive bets ter afterwards. Water well at first, then only moisten slightly until they begin to grow. A good rule for watering plants is once a week in winter if the weather is mild, or when it has moderated, have a gallon watering-can filled with blood-warm water, stir in a tea-spoonful of aqua ammonia, and | as you set the plants in a convenient place (I set mine on the kitchen floor), pour in pot a plentiful supply of this warm water, and after this, sprinkle well with warm water without ammonia. In summer two or three times a week is the rule. Ivies need large pots, and should be repotted every year in the summer time. A good way to start slips is to partly break off the slip, but do not entirely sever it from the parent stock, leaving it hanging for ten or twelve days; then remove, and plant in a box of half sand or brick-dust and half leaf-mold, and it will be well rooted in a week. Do not water too freely, or the slip will rot. This is better for both slip and plant, as the slip will get nourishment from plant while healing over, and its removal will not weaken the plant so much. Hyacinths are very attractive flowers for windowgardening, and at the same time require very little care or trouble. Get the bulbs in the fall before frost from any good florist (Vick is my favorite), and keep in a cool place until December, then plant each one in a four-inch pot with soil one-fourth sand, one-fourth well-rotted manure, one-fourth garden or sod-soil, and one-fourth broken bits of moss and leaf-mold; water thoroughly at first, and set in dark closet until the first of January, then bring to light and give plenty of water. A very good way is to set half a dozen or more pots in a large dripping-pan, pour hot (not boiling) water in pan, and let set for one hour. After they are done blooming, let them dry out gradually. They will not bloom the second season as well as the first.

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