140 HOME FLOUICILTURE 



from the window, as a general thing, and are kept 

 there for days at a time, evaporation will be slow. 

 It is a mistake to give more water while the soil 

 remains moist. Wait until the surface of it appears 

 dry, and then give enough to thoroughly saturate all 

 in the pot. 



Some persons seem to have the idea that plants 

 used for the decoration of hall or parlor can be placed 

 in a corner, or some other place some distance from 

 good light, and left there indefinitely, without injur} . 

 This is not the case. These plants, to remain in healtl', 

 must be given a chance at the window, and kept in 

 the best possible light while not doing duty for decora • 

 tive purposes. By this it is not meant that they 

 should have full sunshine. They do better without it. 

 But they should be placed near the window whenever 

 they are not needed elsewhere in the room. It is a 

 good plan to have at least half a dozen plants. They 

 can then be used alternately, some doing decorative 

 duty, while others are recuperating from its effect. 



Palms are often injured by insects. It is there- 

 fore necessary that they he watched carefully, and that 

 precautions should be taken against the advance and 

 entrenchment of the enemy. .'Xn ounce of prevention 

 is worth a pound of cure in this case. Aim to keep 

 the pests from getting a foothold. This can be done 

 by the use of fir-tree oil or lemon oil, and sometimes 

 by strong soapsuds, though the efficacy of the latter 

 consists more in the scrubbing process which generally 

 accompanies it than in its ability to keep in check the 

 enemies of tliis class of plants. It is a good plan to 

 procure a long-handled, stiff bristle brush, with which 

 to apply whatever preparation is used, as this will 

 enable you to get at parts of the plants which could 

 not otherwise be easily reached. Work the brush 

 down between tlie leaves and stalk, and scruli the base 



