Ronnbergia 



( 283 ) 



Roots 



solution of kerosene emulsion (we INSECTICIDES) 



will keep insects ;it hay. 



Principal Species : 



amtena, 4', Je., ]>k. (/*. pk., sweet (sijn. Eogiera 



latifolia, versicolor, and gratissima). 



Rogiera nmoena) . odorata, 4', sum., aut., 



Backhouse!, 3', sum., sc., sweet (tittm. splen- 



aut. , pk. ; best in peat. deiis and speciosa) ; 



gratissima, 4', sum., aut., var. major is good. 

 speciosa (.sw odorata). 



Other Species: 



conlata, 5', sum., pk. erioearpa, a', sum., pk. 



RONNBERGIA. 



Siove perennials (ord. Bromeliacese). They 

 require similar culture to Bromelias and Bill- 

 bergias, which <. 



Only Species : 

 columbiana, 1', sum., 1)1. 

 (now Quesuelia cblum- 

 liiiiua). 



morreniana, 1', sum., bl. 



ROOM PLANTS. 



The .selection of plants suitable for room decora- 

 tion depends to a great extent on whether gas is 

 burned in the rooms or not, and also on whether 

 the plants have to be grown entirely in the rooms, 

 or whether they are grown elsewhere, and are taken 

 into rooms. for a few weeks at a time. For apart- 

 ments that are lighted or heated by gas, and where 

 the plants have to be grown permanently in such 

 atmospheres, the choice of subjects is very limited, 

 the two best plants being Aspidistra lurida and 

 Ficus elastica. Where rooms are lighted by gas, 

 and t lie plants are only required for short periods, 

 a much larger selection is available ; Palms, Ferns, 

 Diai-enas, Crotons, and flowering plants of various 

 descriptions all being of service. Where. other 

 means of lighting are employe^ almost any plant 

 of a suitable size, and which does not- require a 

 very moist atmosphere, may be used for short 

 periods, and a great many plants may be well 

 grown in room, all the year round. When plants 

 are grown in other places, and are taken into rooms 

 for a few weeks while in their best condition, 

 care should be taken that the temperature of the 

 room does not fall much below that of the green- 

 house the plants have been growing in, and it 

 should also be arranged that they are not stood 

 in draughts, and that they do not receive a chill 

 when being removed from one place to another. 

 Plants stood in rooms should always be given the 

 lightest positions available; and should be turned 

 round daily so that an equal amount of sunlight 

 gets to all parts. Watering needs special atten- 

 tion. No hard and fast rule can be laid down ; it 

 is impossible to say how many times a week certain 

 plants should be watered ; on that point the owner 

 must use his own judgment. The usual test is to 

 give the pot a sharp rap with the knuckles, and if 

 water is required a ringing sound is made, whilst 

 if the plant is wet enough a dull sound results. 

 When the weather is mild, plants grown in rooms 

 are benefited by being stood oiit of doors for a 

 short time occasionally, especially if the weather 

 is wet ; this applies particularly to foliage plants. 

 Koom plants require repotting in a similar manner 

 to other plants, but large, unsightly pots must be 

 avoided. Plants that have become sickly should 

 be destroyed, unless exceptionally good means are 

 at hand for nursing them back "to health. . The 



majority of suitable plants can be bought at very 

 reasonable prices, so that it is bad policy to endea- 

 vour to make a really sickly plant well again. 

 The habit of buying plants in the streets or at the 

 door in cold weather is to be condemned. The 

 plants have generally been grown in warm houses, 

 and the violent change of temperature is disastrous 

 to them. The plants appear in good health 

 when bought, but a few days' sojourn in a warmer 

 temperature suffices to turn the leaves yellow, and 

 finally brown. An occasional sponging of the 

 leaves of foliage plants with tepid water and a 

 little soft soap is necessary to keep the plants in 

 good health. 



As has been previously stated, almost any plant 

 may be used as a room plant, some of the most 

 popular being 



Selection of Popular Plants : 



Acacias, Aralias, Aspidistras, Chrysanthemums, 

 Cinerarias, Clivias, Crotons (Codiseums), Cyclamens. 

 Cytisus f ragrans, Ferns (in variety), Ficus, Fuchsias, 

 Geraniums (Pelargoniums), Lily of the Valley, 

 Palms, and many others. Forced bulbs and shrubs 

 are also useful, while many hardy evergreens are 

 also pressed into service. 



ROOT PRUNING. 



This operation is performed on trees and shrubs 

 to increase floriferousness and fruitfulness. It 

 consists of making a trench at a distance from the 

 trunk, and forking the soil from among the roots, 

 cutting back thick roots which appear to be 

 travelling for a considerable distance from the 

 tree, and saving all the fibrous feeding roots that 

 are found to be laid in again as the trench is re- 

 filled. When severing the thick roots care must 

 be taken to get well under the tree, for often some 

 of the thickest roots are found there. When the 

 roots have been cut, the ends must be pared 

 smoothly over, and the wounds dressed with tar. 

 The operator must use judgment as to the number 

 of roots to be removed. Trees that are growing very 

 luxuriantly, and bearing little or no fruit, require 

 the removal of a greater number of roots than trees 

 that are only moderately luxuriant. In the case 

 of large trees it is advisable to make the trench 

 halfway round the tree the first season, and cut 

 the roots on that side, leaving the other side till 

 the following year. In the case of young trees it 

 will sometimes be found sufficient pruning to lift 

 and replant them, the loss of a few roots entailed 

 by this proving a sufficient check. When planting, 

 care should be taken not to bury manure beneath 

 the trees, it being better to keep the manure 

 nearer the surface to encourage surface roots. 

 Trees with a good mass of surface roots rarely 

 require root pruning, and if the operation has to 

 be performed it is a much more simple matter. 

 The best period for the operation is between the 

 months of October and February. Peaches and 

 Plums are more prone to make coarse, woody, un- 

 fruitful growth than Apples and Pears, but any tree 

 which throws shoots more than 3 feet long in the 

 growing season may be root pruned. 



ROOTS. 



It is even more important that a careful watch 

 should be kept on the roots of plants than on the 

 stems, for should the roots get into a bad condition 

 plants are bound to go wrong. This being the 

 case, it is highly desirable that everything in the 

 vicinity of the roots should be kept sweet and clean, 



