Rooms. APRIL.

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We remarked last month, that about this season, where it is convenient, an eastern window is more congenial to plants than a southern. The sun becomes too powerful, and the morning sun is preferable to that of the afternoon. West is also preferable to south. Some keep their plants in excellent order at a north window. But the weather is so mild after this, that there is no difficulty in protecting and growing plants in rooms. They generally suffer most from want of air and water; the window must be up a few inches, or altogether, according to the mildness of the day. And as plants are more liable to get covered with dust in rooms than in any other department, and not so convenient to be syringed or otherwise cleaned, take the first opportunity of a mild day to carry them to a shady situation, and syringe such as are not in flower well with water; or for want of a syringe take a watering-pot with a rose upon it: allowing them to stand until they drip, when they may be put into their respective situations.

DIRECTIONS FOR PLANTS BROUGHT FROM THE GREEN-HOUSE.

Any plants that are brought from the Green-house during the spring months ought to be as little exposed to the direct rays of the sun as possible. Keep them in airy situations, with plenty of light, giving frequent and liberal supplies of water. Plants may be often observed through our city during this month fully exposed in the outside of a south window, with the blaze of a mid-day sun upon them, and these too just come from the temperate and damp atmosphere of a well regulated Green-house. Being thus placed in an arid situation, scorched between the glass and the sun whose heat is too powerful for them to withstand, the transition being so sudden, that, however great their beauties may have appeared, they in a few days become brown, the flowers tarnished or decayed, and the failure generally attributed to individuals not at all concerned. From this and similar causes many have drawn the unjust conclusion, viz. that "plants from Green-houses are of too delicate a nature to be exposed in rooms or windows at this early season." But every year gives more and more proof to the contrary. There are ladies in Philadelphia, and those not a few, whose rooms and windows at this period vie with the finest of our Green-houses, with respect to the health, beauty and order of their plants, and we might almost say in variety. Some of them have got above eight kinds of Camellias in their collections, which afford a continual beauty through the winter, with many other desirable and equally valuable plants. Exposure to the sun, and want of water, are the general cause of failures at this period. We have spoken so minutely and so frequently on these two subjects, that we think more repetition unnecessary. The plants generally are growing pretty freely by this time, and are not so liable to suffer from liberal supplies of water, observing never to give it until the soil in the pot is inclining to become dry, and administering it always in the evenings.

FLOWERING PLANTS.

Our directions last month under this head will equally apply now. The China roses that are now coming plentifully in flower should be kept near the light, and in airy exposures, to brighten their colours, otherwise they will be very pale and sickly. Geraniums too ought to have the like treatment.

BRINGING PLANTS OUT OF THE CELLAR, &c.

All or most of the plants that have been in the cellar during winter, such as Pomegranates, LagerstrÆmias, HydrÁngeas, Oleanders, Sweet-bay, &c. may be brought out to the open air any time about the middle of the month. If any of them stand in need of larger pots or tubs, have them turned out, the balls reduced, and put them in others a little larger; or where convenient they may be planted in the ground, except Oleanders, which do best to be a little confined. Be sure to keep the HydrÁngeas in shady situations. It will not be advisable to expose entirely the Orange and Lemon trees, until the end of this or first of next month. Where there are any scale or foulness of any kind collected on the foliage or wood, have them cleaned directly before the heat increases the one, and to get clear of the disagreeable appearance of the other.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

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