PALM CULTURE IN OUR HOMES. 



Fi<;. 1536. — Panuancs IJtilis. 



will burn, the wind thrash and split the 

 leaves. The ideal spot is one with wall 

 to the south and west ; in such a posi- 

 tion the plants get three or four hours 

 sun in the morning, and are protected 

 from the prevailing winds. Another 

 good place, in summer, would be 

 a sunny position, where they could 

 be protected by cotton, stretched 

 along the sides, and over the top of 

 them. In this position, they would 

 make a more rapid growth but would re- 

 quire very careful watching, the slightest 

 drying out would result in injury. In 

 summer, I have always watered my 

 palms with the hose. There is no doubt, 

 that tepid water would have been bet- 

 ter, but the hose was so much the han- 

 dier, that it outweighed all other consid- 

 erations. Take your plants in when the 

 nights get cool, and put them out dur- 

 ing the day. You can give them all 

 the sun they can get, at this time of 



year, without fear of injury ; but beware 

 of the wind. 



In recommending varieties of palms, 

 I have confined myself to personal ex- 

 perience, and there are no doubt many 

 others of which I know nothing, that 

 would do equally well in the house. 

 There are also some other plants, which 

 cannot be classed as palms, but which 

 are of the same decorative nature. 

 Chief among them stands Pandanus 

 Utilis, the screw pine, which does well 

 in the house ; but should not be sub- 

 jected to as low a temperature as palms 

 will endure, and will come a much bet- 

 ter color, if grown entirely in the shade. 

 Pandanus Veitchii is a variegated form, 

 green and white but seems to run to a 

 solid light green and is not so desirable 

 as the other. Ficus elastica, Cordy- 

 line indivisa, Araucaria excelsa and 

 many greenhouse ferns, make fine deco- 

 rative plants, and grow well in the 

 house. 



One word, in conclusion, to those 

 among you, who may have bought 

 palms, and seen them die or become so 

 unsightly as to be an eyesore rather 

 than an ornament. Don't be discour- 

 aged, and conclude, that palms will not 

 grow in the house ; rather try and find 

 out wherein you have gone astray, and 

 thus, get the benefit of the experience, 

 that has cost you so dear. Remember 

 one thing, look your plants over every 

 day. It won't take but a moment or 

 two, and you will be surprised to find, 

 how their needs vary with the varying 

 conditions surrounding them. That 

 palms can be grown in ordinary living 

 rooms as well as in greenhouses, I know 

 to be a fact. I venture to state, that I 

 can find many palms, that have not 

 been in a greenhouse in years, that size 

 for size, will hold their own with any 

 plants grown under glass. 



65 



