l88 HOUSE PLANTS 



The cycas is of easy culture, and succeeds 

 well in the varying temperature of a living 

 room and almost any well-drained soil. If 

 you want the fun of starting one yourself, 

 buy a dormant stem from the florist. These 

 cost about fifteen cents a pound and may 

 be had in varying sizes, weighing anywhere 

 from two to fifty pounds. When the stems 

 arrive, plant them in as small a pot as pos- 

 sible and keep them in a warm, humid 

 atmosphere until the plants start to grow; 

 after that, a cooler, drier atmosphere will do. 



THE UBIQUITOUS RUBBER PLANT 



One of the most popular of all the plants 

 for house culture is the rubber plant {Ficus 

 elastic a). It is usually grown as a single 

 stem plant and in this shape is very pretty 

 indeed for formal effects, but equally decora- 

 tive specimens can be had by growing com- 

 pact, branching plants. The leaves are 

 anywhere from three to twelve inches long, 

 about one-third as wide as they are long, 

 and oblong to elliptical in shape with a small, 

 abrupt point. The upper side of the leaf 

 is very glossy and dark green, but the under 

 side is dull and light green. 



