THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



Kloral Udition. 



The Rose and Perennial garden of Mr. W. H. Heard, The Maples 



planting arrangement. 



St. Thoma.s, Ont. Note the 



Care and Culture of House Plants 



How refreshing it is to enter a 

 home and find plants growing in 

 all their beauty. Then we really 

 appreciate them. Palms are one of the 

 leading and most useful house plants, 

 as their bold yet graceful foliage makes 

 them stand out prominently as a dec- 

 oration whether in the hall or sitting 

 room. There are several varieties of 

 palms. The Kentias are used mostly 

 here. Kentia Belmoreana and Kentia 

 Porsteriana are among the hardiest 

 varieties and give the best results. Do 

 not neglect them for a time and let 

 them dry out, for then they will receive 

 a check, although they may not show 

 the effects of it for some time after- 

 wards, it 



Palms should be repotted at least 

 once a year, using good fibrous loam, 

 three parts, and one part sand. If it is 

 a large plant, add a dust of bonemeal 

 which is very beneficial. Palms need 

 to be firmly potted. Do not over water 

 at the roots. For a good sized plant 

 in good growing condition and not pot 

 bound, watering once a week will be 

 sufficient unless the house is kept ex- 

 ceedingly hot. Sponge the leaves as 

 often as possible as they derive consid- 

 erable nourishment through the leaves, 

 and this practice will also keep down 

 insect pests. If this is done regularly, 

 palms will grow and thrive for several 

 years. 



Araucarias (Norfolk Island Pine) 

 make a beautiful house plant. They 

 will grow in almost any part of the 

 house, as a small plant can be used on 



the table, and larger species look well 

 on pedestals, or in any convenient cor- 

 ner of the room. Water once or twice 

 a week according to the condition of 

 the roots. If the pots are full of roots 

 they will take water nearly every day. 

 No insects seem to bother these plants, 

 but they like the overhead spray, other- 

 wise they get too dusty and dry. This 

 can be done at this season of the year 

 by standing them in a bath and using 

 a watering can with a fine rose. In the 

 summer the spraying can be done on 

 the lawn. Re-pot them the same as the 

 palm. Do not forget to give a clean 

 pot with good drainage. 



Aspidistras Greenleaved and Aspidis- 

 tra Lurida variegata, striped with 

 white, are the easiest of all house plants 

 to grow. In them you have a plant 

 that will do fine in the hall and will 

 always attract attention. They like a 

 good supply of water with leaves 

 sponged often. When re-potting, use a 

 good stiff loam. They can easily be ■ 

 parted when they get too large. 



Ferns. 



Ferns you will find in nearly every 

 home. The varieties are numerous, 

 though only a few of the hardiest vari- 

 eties are grown here. I suppose the old 

 Bostoniensis,. commonly called Sword 

 Fern, are just as popular as ever. Every 

 one can grow a Sword Fern, as they 

 are strong growers and will adapt 

 themselves to almost any position in the 

 home. There are several varieties of 

 the Nephrolepis family. The finer 



varieties are not quite as hardy as the 

 plain sword, but still they can be suc- 

 cessfully grown. The varieties which 

 have proved satisfactory here are Neph- 

 rolepis Elegantissiina, .Xephrolepi.s 

 Whitinani, Nephrolepis Scntti, Vcph- 

 iolei)is Amerpholi. 



Many people seem to have trouble 

 with their ferns at this season of the 

 year. It is a little hard to understand 

 the causes sometimes. Generally it is 

 because they have received a check at 

 some time. In the Nephrolepis family, 

 the chief trouble is turning brown in 

 the centre. This is often caused by 

 their either being allowed to get too dry 

 at the roots or being kept too wet. You 

 will find them sometimes standing in a 

 jardiniere half filled with water. This 

 will soon decay the roots and turn the 

 soil sour. Care and judgment should 

 be used in the watering of ferns. Never 

 let them become either dust dry nor too 

 wet. An occasional spray overhead will 

 give them strength. This, I consider, is 

 really necessary, as with so much dry 

 heat the fronds get far too dusty and 

 dry. Greenhouse treatment is different, 

 as several varieties can be grown in 

 greenhouses without overhead spray- 

 ing, but this is because they have a 

 moist atmosphere all the time. Fancy 

 fern dishes are used extensively. As- 

 paragus Pluniosus, Small Nephrolepis, 

 Pteris, green and variegated, and Holly 

 ferns are good for this purpose. It is 

 much better to plant them in a separate 

 liner made of pottery, not tin, as the tin 

 liner excludes all air from the roots, 

 especially when a crust is allowed to 

 form on top of the soil. 



Asparagus Sprengeri makes a good 

 trailing fern suitable for hanging bas- 

 kets in the window. They like a good 

 supply of water. 



Remember To 



Repot small geraniums. 



Plan the garden now. 



Sow pansy seed in the greenhouse for 

 early plants. 



Go over the canna, dahlia and gladi- 

 oli bulbs to see whether they are keep- 

 ing. 



Plan to plant some of the herbs, such 

 as dill, anise, and caraway, this spring. 



Hotbed sash and soil should be made 

 ready soon. In most regions hotbeds 

 may be started next month. 



Plant a few hardy gaillardia. No 

 plant is more showy or can be used to 

 better advantage for its cut flowers. 



A few of the bulbs may be brought 

 from the cellar, and forced slowly for 

 flowers. 



A potted plant must have air about 

 the roots and good drainage, as it would 

 in the garden. 



