Gardening for Amateurs 



777 



Palms for Room and Greenhouse 



IN many of the warmer regions of the 

 globe Palms form quite a prominent 

 feature of the vegetation, their tall, 

 shaft-like stems being crowned with magni- 

 ficent heads of foliage. Several of them are 

 of considerable economic value, particularly 

 the Coco-nut and the Date Palms. Only 

 one can be considered hardy in this country, 

 but a great many of the tender kinds are 

 grown here, in a small state, in immense 

 numbers and employed for various decora- 

 tive purposes. Owing to the stout, leathery 

 nature of the foliage some Palms prove ad- 

 mirable room plants," 

 provided reasonable 

 care is taken with 

 them. In the first 

 place the soil must 

 not get too dry, nor 

 must water be al- 

 lowed to stand in the 

 jardinieres or saucers 

 in which they are 

 placed. The leaves, 

 too, should be fre- 

 quently wiped with 

 a clean duster, and 

 occasionally sponged 

 with tepid water. 



Palms are generally 

 raised from seeds, 

 which do not, how- 

 ever, retain their 



vitality long. For this reason they are not 

 often to be obtained from seedsmen, as the 

 seeds are sown as soon as possible after arrival. 

 This accounts for the large number of plants 

 often to be seen in nurseries, as the nursery- 

 man prefers to raise young plants rather 

 than risk the deterioriation of the seeds. 

 Added to this, there is always a demand for 

 small plants in pots for indoor decoration. 



The roots of Palms are as a rule not numer- 

 ous but they go deeply and are strong, so 

 the pots should be as deep as possible. A 

 suitable compost for most Palms consists 

 mainly of fibrous loam (turfy soil) to which 

 are added a little peat or leaf -mould, decayed 

 manure, and sand. Palms may be kept in 



A graceful little Palm (Cocos weddelliana). 



good health for years in comparatively 

 small pots providing they are given an occa- 

 sional stimulant, and, of course, are well 

 supplied with water. In nurseries, where 

 the object is to obtain a saleable plant in as 

 short a time as possible, Palms are subjected 

 to a great deal of heat and moisture, and 

 under these conditions they grow quickly. 

 For this reason, should the amateur desire 

 to purchase Palms, the best time to do so is 

 in May, June or July, as then the plants are 

 not liable to suffer so much from the check 

 as when the weather is cold, and they have 

 also time to adapt 

 themselves to the 

 altered conditions of 

 an amateur's green- 

 house before winter. 

 In order to keep 

 Palms at their best 

 they need to be 

 shaded from the 

 direct rays of the 

 sun, and to be sy- 

 ringed frequently. 

 When Palms need 

 repotting the best 

 time to carry out 

 this work is from 

 March to June. 



A selection of the 

 most useful kinds is 

 herewith given. 



Areca. A large group, one of which, 

 Areca lutescens, forms a very handsome 

 plant, somewhat suggestive of the better 

 known Kentia. It is more graceful, and at 

 the same time more tender, than Kentia, for 

 it thrives best in the hothouse. Two kinds, 

 A. Bauerii, from Norfolk Island, and A. 

 sapida, from New Zealand, are essentially 

 greenhouse Palms, but they are less orna- 

 mental than A. lutescens. 



Chamaerops. Of the Chamaerops or Fan 

 Palms, the South European kind C. humilis, 

 is especially attractive. When established 

 it produces numerous stems from the base. 

 When young the leaves are clothed with 

 silvery scales. Another Palm sometimes 



