NINE IRON-CLAD PALMS 1 79 



the Other palms and it is also the fastest 

 growing date palm. 



Considerable fun may be had from raising 

 date palms (P. dactylifera) from the dates 

 of the grocery stores. The seeds will ger- 

 minate in a few weeks, but the plant I 

 cannot recommend, it is too stiff and not so 

 graceful as the kinds just named. 



THE MOST COMMONLY SOLD 



The palm most often sold by the florist is 

 the areca (Chry soli doc ar pus lutescens, but 

 known in the trade as Areca lutescens). 

 This is easily distinguished from the other 

 palms by its golden yellow leaf-stem and 

 also by the little plants which may be seen 

 growing around the base; like the rhapis, 

 the areca sends out underground suckers. 

 The leaflets are flat, long, and narrow, and 

 of a bright glossy green. The areca can 

 be grown successfully in the house, but it 

 requires some care and it will not stand hard- 

 ships like the other palms already mentioned. 



THE SECRETS OF SUCCESS 



The plants must not be subjected at any 

 time to sudden changes of temperature. 



