1 88 HOUSE PLANTS 



The cycas is of easy culture, and succeeds 

 well in the varying temperature of a living 

 room and almost any well-drained soil. If 

 you want the fun of starting one yourself, 

 buy a dormant stem from the florist. These 

 cost about fifteen cents a pound and may 

 be had in varying sizes, weighing anywhere 

 from two to fifty pounds. When the stems 

 arrive, plant them in as small a pot as pos- 

 sible and keep them in a warm, humid 

 atmosphere until the plants start to grow; 

 after that, a cooler, drier atmosphere will do. 



THE UBIQUITOUS RUBBER PLANT 



One of the most popular of all the plants 

 for house culture is the rubber plant (JFicus 

 elastic a). It is usually grown as a single 

 stem plant and in this shape is very pretty 

 indeed for formal effects, but equally decora- 

 tive specimens can be had by growing com- 

 pact, branching plants. The leaves are 

 anywhere from three to twelve inches long, 

 about one-third as wide as they are long, 

 and oblong to elliptical in shape with a small, 

 abrupt point. The upper side of the leaf 

 is very glossy and dark green, but the under 

 side is dull and light green. 



