Gardening Indoors and Under Glass | Page 7

in various forms; for instance,
the nitrogen in hen manure, or in cottonseed meal, or in salts from the
nitrate fields of Chile, known as nitrate of soda; the phosphoric acid
from bone, or from acid phosphate (a ground rock treated with acid);
the potash from wood ashes or from German potash salts (muriate or
sulphate of potash). Plants, to do their best, require that all three
elements shall be present in sufficient amounts to supply their wants.
It is not necessary, however, to go very deeply into the science of plant
foods in order to grow plants successfully. Fortunately, manure rotted
as described above, furnishes all three elements in about the right
proportions. Cow, sheep, hen and pigeon manure are best used as
described later, under "Liquid Manuring."
FERTILIZERS
There are many brands of mixed fertilizers prepared specially for use in
the greenhouse or on plants in pots. There is a temptation to use these
on account of their convenient compact form, and because they are
more agreeable to handle. As a general rule, however, much better
results will be obtained by relying on rotted manure.

If you want to use fertilizers at all--and for certain purposes they will be
very valuable--I would advise restricting the list to the following pure
materials which are not mixed, and which are always uniform; nitrate
of soda, cottonseed meal, pure fine ground bone, and wood ashes.
(Several of the other chemicals are good, but not so commonly used.)
Ground bone is the most valuable of these. It should be what is known
as "fine ground," or bone dust. It induces a strong but firm growth, and
can be used safely in the potting soil, supplementing the manure as a
source of plant food. From two to three quarts to a bushel of soil is the
right amount to use. It should be thoroughly mixed through the soil. It
may also be frequently used to advantage as a top dressing on plants
that have exhausted the food in their pots, or while developing buds or
blooming. Work two or three spoonfuls into the top of the soil.
Nitrate of soda is the next in importance. It is very strong and must be
carefully used, the safest way being to use it as a liquid manure, one or
two teaspoonsful dissolved in three gallons of water. If first dissolved
in a pint of hot water, and then added to the other, it will be more
quickly done. Use a pint or so of this solution in watering. The results
will often be wonderful.
Cottonseed meal may be safely mixed with the soil, like ground bone,
but requires some time in which to rot, before the plant can make use of
it.
Wood ashes are also safe, and good to add to the potting soil. They help
to make a firm, hard growth, as a result of the potash they furnish.
Where plants seem to be making a too rapid, watery growth, wood
ashes may be applied to the surface and worked in.
With a soil prepared as directed in the first part of this chapter, there
will be very little need for using any other of the fertilizers, until plants
have been shifted into their last pots and have filled them with roots.
When this stage is reached the use of liquid manures as described later
will frequently be beneficial. If, however, a plant for any reason seems
backward, or slower in growth than it should be, an application or two
of nitrate of soda will often produce results almost marvelous. Be sure,

however, that your troubles are not due to some mistake in temperature,
ventilation or watering, before you ascribe them to improper or
exhausted soil.
Now, having had the patience to find out something about the
conditions under which plants ought to succeed, let us proceed to the
more interesting work of actually making them grow.
CHAPTER IV
STARTING PLANTS FROM SEED
One of the ways of getting a supply of plants for the house is to start
them from seed. With a number of varieties, better specimens may be
obtained by this method than by any other. Most of the annuals, and
many of the biennials and perennials, are best reproduced in this way.
Simple as the art of starting plants from seed may seem, there are a
number of things which must be thought of, and done correctly. We
must give them a proper situation, soil, temperature, covering and
amount of moisture, and when once above ground they need careful
attention until lifted and started on their way as individual plants.
The number of plants of one sort which will be required for the house is
naturally not large, and for that reason beginners often try starting their
seeds in pots. But