THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Fig. 1674 — Begonia haageana. 



pot the palm firmly ; there is more in 

 firm potting than is usually credited ; 

 plants well firmed in potting require less 

 water than if potted loosely, and such 

 plants will make a sturdier and morecom- 

 pact growth. The foliage should be kept 

 free from dust and the roots neither too 

 wet or dry. These plants are impatient 

 of extremes. The greatest insect enemy 

 of palms is scale, and unless a brush is 

 used to displace them, insecticides seem 

 to take no effect ; the scales seem to 

 stick so close to the leaves and stems 

 that even powerful remedies do not seem 

 to take effect. For years we have used 

 a solution of whale oil soap and cheap 

 tooth brushes to rub it in and remove 

 the scales. The plants when cleaned 

 receive a spraying with clear water. Fir 

 tree oil would be equally effective as the 

 whale oil and of decidedly more pleas- 

 ant odor. 



The Rubber Plant, Riots elastica, is 

 a good plant.; indeed, very few seem to 



fail to grow it to their entire satisfaction. 

 For table and mantel plants the most 

 enduring of the Ferns will do real well. 

 Nephrokpis Exaltata, the Sword fern, 

 is a very fine plant for the house or con- 

 servatory, so are nearly all the Nephro- 

 lepis. The new variety, N. Bostonien- 

 sis, is particularly fine ; its strong, quick 

 growth and the fact that with age it at- 

 tains added beauty, recommends it. 

 The Adiantums are rather difficult ferns 

 to manage in the house unless you have 

 provided a special fern window. The 

 same may be said of the beautiful Sela- 

 ginella emeliana, — it revels in a shady 

 place in the conservatory. 



At this time when fern dishes are in 

 such favor, a few words on the subject 

 will be appropriate. Some of the china 

 and silverware dishes that one sees seem 

 to be made for show rather than for use, 

 as no drainage is provided. If you get 

 your florist to fill such a dish, be easy 



Fig. 1675. — Selaginklh emeliana. 



402 



