776 



HOUSE PLANTS 



concrete and water used without stint. In such a room 

 plants can be grown and brought into the living rooms 

 when in their best condition. 



In rooms in which plants are kept, any device by which 

 the atmospheric moisture can be increased is desirable: 

 oilcloth on the floor, or a floor of porous tiles; a zinc 

 tray in which the pots can be set and surrounded with 

 moss: saucers under the pots, the pots being raised 

 slightly to prevent the roots of the plants standing in 

 the water which runs through. By these aids not only 

 can plenty of water be given to the roots, but there will 

 also be some opportunity to sprinkle the leaves, while 

 the evaporation of surplus water will dampen the air. 

 The Japanese porcelain pots are not only ornamental 

 but useful; the glaze prevents undue evaporation from 

 the sides, and the legs hold the pot well above the water 

 which may collect in the saucer: they are in every way 

 excellent. Wooden tubs are serviceable for large plants 

 or for any which are likely to be exposed to frost, either 

 before or after bringing into the house. Plants should 

 never beoverpotted, but the larger the bulk of earth the 

 easier it can be kept uniformly moist; from the wider 

 surface, too, there is more evaporation. For these rea- 

 sons it is sometimes a good plan to have window boxes 

 in which several plants can be grown ; or the boxes can 

 be filled with moss in which the pots can be plunged. 

 All pots, tubs or boxes for growing plants should have 

 holes in the bottom through which water can pass freely. 



1103. A window-garden. 



Much trouble is likely to come from the use of unsuit- 

 able potting soil. Procure it from an experienced florist, 

 or make it yourself of equal parts rotted sods, old leaf- 

 mold, well-decayed cow manure and clean, sharp sand : 

 discard tea leaves, chip dirt, and the decomposed re- 

 mains of dead stumps. The soil should always be moist 

 when used, not too wet and never dry: it should be 

 made firm, not hard, and a good space left between the 

 surface and rim. Large pots should be drained with 

 potsherds and moss. The best time for potting is just 

 before the plant begins to grow; the next best is just 

 before growth ceases, thus giving the plant opportunity 

 to establish itself in its new quarters before it stops 

 growing. It is not always easy to do this properly at 

 home, and large and valuable plants should be sent to a 



HOUSE PLANTS 



florist. Plants growing in the open air should be lifte 

 and potted two weeks or more before bringing into th , 

 house, not only before frost but before the nights ar 

 cool. Keep them at first in a cool, shady place, gradu j 

 ally accustom them to the sunlight, and carefully avoi | 

 all drafts. Do not give too much water at the root] 

 some wilting is unavoidable, and cannot be prevente { 

 by heavy watering. Give one good application whe 

 they are first potted, and sprinkle the foliage and sui 

 roundings in the middle of the day. After they ar 

 established, keep them out of doors, on the piazza o 

 porch, until there is danger of frost, but try to brin 

 them into the house before the furnace fires are lightec 



A period of rest is natural to all plants. Amateur 

 often make mistakes in trying to force plants to gny> 

 all winter in the house after a vigorous growth in th 

 open ground all summer. Such plants should be restec 

 kept cool at first and water withheld, but never to sue 

 an extent as to shrivel the wood. No rules can be give 

 for watering, the most important detail of plant-growing 

 Water must be given as it is required, a knowledge t 

 be gained from experience only. This may be once a da 

 or once a week, twice a day or once in two days. Th 

 smaller the pot and the more vigorous the growth, th 

 oftener it will be required. In hot weather and in dr 

 rooms more water is needed than in cool rooms and o 

 damp, cloudy days. It should always be given in suff 

 cient quantify to pass through the hole in the bottom c 

 the pot: here it can remain an hour or more, and pai 

 of it will soak up, back into the pot, but the surplu 

 should be taken away with a sponge, unless the pot ha 

 legs or it is a plant like calla, English ivy or some fern* 

 which are uninjured by an over-supply. Water given t 

 the foliage of House Plants in the form of spray is a 

 ways helpful. 



Insects, dust and sometimes fungous pests are troubl< 

 some to House Plants, due largely to insufficient wate; 

 ing and lack of ventilation. The best remedy is f requer 

 washings with warm water and a sponge for plants wit 

 large leaves. All plants can be easily cleaned at th 

 kitchen sink or in the bath tub, or advantage can t 

 taken of a mild day, and the work done in the yard wit 

 the hose. The forcible application of water will remov 

 most insects, but if scale appears it must be taken o 

 with a stiff brush. Whale-oil and tobacco soap are tc 

 rank for house use ; fir-tree oil and Gishurst's compoun 

 are less obnoxious. They can be used when the plant 

 are washed with sponge or brush. The florists ' preventh 

 against greenfly is impracticable : enough tobacco smok 

 to harm him would not be tolerated. The red spider ca 

 be driven off by spraying with an atomizer, if di: 

 covered in time. Some plants are not attacked by ii 

 sects, but are injured by dust, e.g.; the rubber-tret 

 Dusting when dry is better than nothing, but washin 

 is best. If fungous diseases appear, the plants should I 

 isolated, giving a chance to recover, or be thrown awa; 



Ventilation is an important factor in keeping Hous 

 Plants in good condition. Open the windows on brig! 

 days: the fresh air is moist and therefore grateful, an 

 will do no harm, even if the plants are near the glass 

 so long as the sun shines and discretion is exercised. 



The night temperature need never exceed 50 F., an 

 a drop of 5 or even 10 is not likely to do any harn 

 Precautions must be taken to exclude frost; the blind 

 must be shut and the curtains pulled down on col 

 nights. A layer of newspapers between the plants an 

 the windows is a protection in extremely bad weathe: 

 or a large kerosene lamp can be allowed to burn all nigl 

 near the plants. 



A list of suitable foliage plants for the house : Ficu 

 elastica, the rubber plant; F. religiosa, the peepul tre< 

 and most of the other strong-growing evergreen specie; 

 Livistona Sinensis, Corypha australis, Chamcerop 

 Fortunei and fihajns Japonica, all good fan-palms (tb 

 first is the best) ; Phcenix reclinata, P. rupicola and 1 

 Canariensis are the best date-palms. Seaforthia elegan: 

 Jlowea Belmoreana, Kentia Forsteriana, Areca Bauer 

 A. rubra and Cocos Weddeliana are all good palms, bt 

 require more care than the fan and date-palms. Cyca 

 revoluta, the sago-palm, Curculigo reciirvata,Aspidistr 

 lurida, Pandanus utilis, the screw pine, P. Veitchi 

 Phormium tenax (New Zealand flax), Cyperus altern 

 folia, Papyrus antiquorum,Cordyliue (Dracaena), Agai 



