IN MY LADY'S GARDEN 



for more than half an hour ; and therefore it is well to 

 empty their saucers at the end of that time, and allow the 

 soil in the pots to become almost dry before giving more 

 water. But some of them may need a daily supply (always 

 warm), others requiring water less often ; so that it should 

 be the rule to go round them every morning after breakfast 

 to ascertain and supply their wants. 



Cyperus natalensis is decidedly finer in every way than 

 the more common Cyperus alternifolius (often called the 

 umbrella plant), though it requires rather more warmth, 

 as it comes from tropical South Africa. The cyperaceas are 

 all water plants reeds, in fact and should be allowed an 

 abundance of moisture ; they may stand in a saucer with 

 impunity, for any want of water will injure them far more 

 than a superabundance of it ; they can be divided and 

 repotted soon after their flowering umbels become faded, 

 and they may also be raised from seed in a moist, warm 

 place. As room plants, too, they are decidedly decorative, 

 and although they prefer the atmosphere of a warm green- 

 house (with a certain amount of shade and moisture) to that 

 of a room when in growth, at this time of year they will 

 stand well in a bowl if well supplied with tepid water. 

 There are several varieties of C. alternifolius one with 

 variegated foliage and all are pretty and effective ; but the 

 cyperus of Natal is far finer than any of them, reaching 

 the height of 30 inches ; although it is not so often seen 

 as it should be. 



There are also a few palms which are hardy enough for 

 a room, such as Latania Borbonica, Phoenix Dactyl ifera 

 (the Date-palm), the Fan palms (Chamasrops elata and 

 C. humilis), and the cabbage palm (Corypha Australis) ; 

 the beautiful Seaforthia elegans and the Kentias (Bel- 

 moreana and Fosteriana) are not quite so hardy, though 

 they will stand in most sitting-rooms ; and there are 

 various other palms (such as Cocos weddelliana) which 

 need a warm conservatory in winter. Unfortunately, to 

 most of us a palm is simply a palm, and one variety difficult 

 to distinguish from another ; it is therefore necessary, in 



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