THE FLORAL WORLD AXD GARDEN GUIDE. 6^^' 



tried skill. The selection should be confined to such as are nearly 

 hardy, and of wliich a list is given below. All these plants thrive m 

 a good loamy soil, containing plenty of fibre and siliceous grit, and 

 they are gratefid for tlie addition of a small proportion of quite 

 rotten manure. It is necessary to repot them every year, but 

 they need not always be put into larger pots ; in many cases the 

 same pot will do several seasons in succesjdon, but the process of 

 repotting is intended to provide them with a change of soil. When 

 this repotting is performed, they should be turned out of their pots 

 and a good deal of the old soil should be removed from their roots ,- 

 they should then be placed again in the same pots, or in pots a size 

 larger. If the old pots are used let them be well scrubbed, or, if 

 they can be baked for an hour — a thing convenient enough in some 

 gardens — it will render them quite sweet fur the use of the plants 

 again. The potting must be done with care, and a few nodules of 

 charcoal should be placed over the crocks. This is one part of the 

 treatment about which there is no mystery. Another part is to give 

 them abundance of water while growing ; that is easily done, but if 

 it is not done the growth will be poor, and the plants will decline in 

 beauty. The third and last point is to house them in October in a 

 light airy house, where there is heat enough to keep out frost, and 

 there treat them as other greenhouse plants are treated, especially in 

 respect of giving water, for the colder the weather the less they 

 must have. During the recent severe weather some plants of 

 -Latania Boicrhonica and Chamcerojjs humilis have been subjected 

 to 8' of frost, but are quite unhurt. At the same time, I would 

 defend the greenhouse palms from frost if possible. 



Charnosrojjs Fortunei. — A grand palm, quite hardy in the southern 

 and western parts of England. It should be planted in a sheltered 

 spot, to protect its leaves from damage by winds ; and, if possible, on* 

 a slope, to prevent injury by lodgments of water during winter. 

 Any good soil will suit it ; the fine plant at Regent's Park is in a 

 very bad sample of London mould. 



Chamcerops liumilis. — This very handsome "fan palm" is in- 

 valuable for the conservatory and for plant cases. In cultivation it 

 needs only one care, and that is the most perfect drainage, for if 

 for any length of time soddeued with water it will die. It is so • 

 abundant in some parts of xllgeria as to prevent the cultivation of 

 the land, for the rude ploughs of the Arabs are unable to cut 

 through this "weed." The Algerian farmers have lately discovered 

 how to remove it, and that is by flooding the land with water ; so 

 irrigation, which is needed for the rice and other crops proper to the 

 climate, will efi:ect a clearance of this weed from the soil. 



Chaiiwrops e.vccha, C. Ghieshreighfii, C, sinensis, and C. tomcn- 

 tosa, are also good palms for the flower garden, and to keep through 

 winter in a greenhouse. 



Latania Bourhonica. — This magnificent palm is so nearly hardy 

 that it is one of the first that an amateur in love witli such things 

 should purchase. It is very cheap, and grows sufiiciently fast to 

 make a specimen in a few years. 



Areca Bauerii and A. sapida are two species of " cabbage palm," 



