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Title: Gardening Indoors and Under Glass A Practical Guide to the Planting, Care and Propagation of House Plants, and to the Construction and Management of Hotbed, Coldframe and Small Greenhouse

Author: F. F. Rockwell

Release Date: September 1, 2007 [EBook #22484]

Language: English

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS ***

Produced by Tom Roch and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images produced by Core Historical Literature in Agriculture (CHLA), Cornell University)

GARDENING INDOORS AND UNDER GLASS

A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE PLANTING, CARE AND PROPAGATION OF HOUSE PLANTS, AND TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF HOTBED, COLDFRAME AND SMALL GREENHOUSE

  BY
  F. F. ROCKWELL
  Author of Home Vegetable Gardening

  NEW YORK
  McBRIDE, NAST & COMPANY
  1912

  Copyright, 1911, 1912, by
  McBride, Nast & Co.

Published September, 1912

* * * * *

[Illustration: Too few people realize the possibilities for enjoyment in prolonging the garden through the winter months indoors]

FOREWORD

There is nothing which adds so much sunshine and cheer to the rooms of a house besieged by winter and all his dreary encampment of snow and ice, as the greenery, color and fragrance of blossoming plants. There is no pastime quite so full of pleasure and constant interest as this sort of horticulture; the rooting of small slips, the repotting and watering and watching, as new growth develops, and buds unfold. Some have the magic gift, that everything they touch will break into blossom; others strive—perhaps too hard—only to gain indifferent results. It is hoped that this book will aid those of the second class to locate past mistakes and progress to future success; and further that it may indicate to those more fortunate ones of the first class the way to more extensive achievements in the work they love.

This is not a technical book; simply an attempt to tell in so plain a way that they cannot be misunderstood the everyday details of the successful management of plants in the house and within such small glass structures as may be made, even with limited means and time, a part of the average home.

There is another aspect of the case worth considering; so much so in fact, that it is one of the reasons for writing this book. By the use of such modest glass structures as almost everyone can afford not only is the scope of winter gardening enlarged and the work rendered more easy and certain, but the opportunity is given to make this light labor pay for itself. Fresh vegetables out of season are always acceptable and well grown plants find a ready sale among one's flower-loving friends.

                                             CRANMERE, August 1st, 1912.
  F. F. R.

CONTENTS

PART I—PLANTS IN THE HOUSE

CHAPTER PAGE

I INTRODUCTION 1

II THE PROPER CONDITIONS: LIGHT, TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE 6

III SOILS, MANURES AND FERTILIZERS 14

IV STARTING PLANTS FROM SEED 22

V STARTING PLANTS FROM CUTTINGS 29

VI TRANSPLANTING, POTTING AND REPOTTING 35

VII MANAGEMENT OF HOUSE PLANTS 44

VIII FLOWERING PLANTS 51

IX SHRUBS 70

X FOLIAGE PLANTS 81

XI VINES 90

XII FERNS 97

XIII PALMS 103

XIV CACTI 110

XV BULBS 116

XVI VERANDA BOXES, WINDOW-BOXES, VASES AND HANGING BASKETS 128

XVII HOUSE PLANT INSECTS AND DISEASES 132

XVIII ACCESSORIES 140

PART II—HOME GLASS

XIX ITS OPPORTUNITIES 146

XX THE COLDFRAME AND THE HOTBED 149

XXI THE CONSTRUCTION OF CONSERVATORIES AND SMALL GREENHOUSES 156

XXII METHODS OF HEATING 167

XXIII MANAGEMENT 172

XXIV FLOWERS 180

XXV VEGETABLES 193

XXVI VEGETABLE AND BEDDING PLANTS FOR SPRING 197

INDEX 207

ILLUSTRATIONS

A flourishing flower bay Frontispiece

                                                               FACING PAGE
  An isolated bay-window conservatory 8

A tiled window-sill garden 9

Preparing flats for the "sub-irrigation" method of watering 28

Cuttings ready for sand 29

Geranium cuttings ready for potting 29

Potted cuttings ready for their first shift 40

Striking Rex begonia leaf cuttings 40

"Crocking" in a flower pot