secretary's budget. 363 



baskets suspended during summer along the front of the veranda are 

 always beautiful. In the greenhouse or conservatory there are a good 

 many places where they do well, especially in partially shaded spots. 



In positions where the sun shines v?ry brightly there are few 

 plants which succeed well hanging close to the glass. There are some, 

 however, which are at home in just such a si' nation, requiring consid- 

 erable sun to insure a good supply of flowers, such plants as Epiphyl- 

 lum iruncatuin., Cereus ifagelliforniis and some of the bright flower- 

 ing Sedums. I may add another beautiful plant for the position, Cras- 

 8ula lactea^ which during the winter months produces from the point 

 of every well matured shoot a spike of beautiful star shaped pink 

 flowers. The above plants do best when growing in baskets alone,, 

 without any other associates ; they look better, flower more freely and 

 show their distinctive characters only when grown alone. 



In pictures we often see fine looking terra cotta baskets filled with 

 ferns. I am led to believe from experience with ferns in terra 

 cotta baskets that the only place to see them looking well is in pic- 

 tures ; but in rustic baskets made from wood and in wire baskets lined 

 with moss some kinds do well, especially as individual plants ; best 

 for this purpose is JSfephrolepis exaltata^ which, if grown in wire bas- 

 kets, sends its fronds from the bottom and sides through the mesh«s of 

 the baskets and forms a large ball of beautiful and graceful appear- 

 ance suitable for either window, greenhouse or veranda. Davallia 

 Tijermanni'i^ Ooniophlehium^ subauriculattnn^ Platylornarotundi folia ^ 

 Platycerium alcicorne, and many others of a hardy nature succeed 

 well in baskets if regularly supplied with water. 



Hanging baskets of all kinds should be constructed to hold a large 

 body of soil, which is a necessary requisite to maintain for any length 

 of time food and moisture for the plants. Shallow terra cotta baskets 

 are poorly adapted for the well-being of plants. They easily dry out 

 and unless extra labor in watering is given, the plants will soon look 

 sickly ; there is also not enough soil in them to supply sufl^cient food 

 for succulent growing plants; only the cactuses mentioned above and 

 some of the oxalis do well in them. There is, however, a form of terra 

 cotta baskets which holds a reasonable amount of soil, looks attrac- 

 tive, and plants do well in them for a longer period than in any of the 

 shallow kinds. It is made in the imitation of a log of wood, and hav- 

 ing the color of the wood burned in, keeps unfaded as long as the bas- 

 ket lasts. 



Wire baskets are the best for plants generally. If lined with a 

 good thickness of moss they retain the moisture for a longtime. When 

 they get thoroughly dry the best way to wet them is to immerse in 

 water and allow to remain until the soil is moist clear through. 



