OTHER DESIRABLE PLANTS 



rapid growth, with pretty foHage, and dense 

 habit. 



Tradescantia. — Another old stand-by of 

 quick growth and strong constitution, flour- 

 ishing where most other plants would soon fail. 

 It will grow in any soil, but it will be found 

 most satisfactory if given one of only moderate 

 richness. In a very rich soil its joints will be 

 far apart, consequently its foliage will be 

 sparse. It must be pinched back well to make 

 it branch freely. There are several varieties — 

 one with plain green leaves, one with green and 

 white leaves, and another in which green, olive, 

 and pink are about equally represented. 



Mention has already been made of Aspara- 

 gus Sprengeeri. This, as well as A. plumosus 

 nanus, is well adapted to use in hanging-bas- 

 kets. So is Abutilon vexillarium, with its 

 prettily variegated foliage. Almost all plants 

 of drooping habit can be made to do duty in 

 suspended pots, if care is taken to see that they 

 are well watered. Nine failures out of ten 

 with hanging plants result from an insufficient 

 water-supply. Because it is not as easy to get 

 at them as at the pots in the window, we fail 

 to give them as much water as they need, and 

 the result is that they get dry at the roots before 



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