GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORY PLANTS 137 



in the Southern States. For five or ten cents we get packets of seeds 

 of the Moving Plant Desmodium gyrans. When Oxalis sensitiva and 

 O. dendroides are touched with the finger the leaflets fall down. 

 Mimosa pudica, on the other hand, when touched, closes up. 

 There are several other sorts, but the above number is enough to 

 make this bed very popular, especially among school children. 



Culture. The culture is of the easiest. 



Propagation. All are easily raised from seeds offered by 

 European seedsmen. 



MONSTERA. There are several excellent house plants 

 which are very little known, on account of the difficulty experienced 

 in propagating them in sufficient quantities. Among the best of 

 this class is the Monstera, a subject almost unique in the plant 

 kingdom, owing to the broad leaves having perforations all over 

 their surfaces. M. deliciosa is the species most commonly grown. 



Culture. It needs little pot room, but plenty of water; in fact, 

 the pot may be placed in a saucer of water. The question of soil is 

 not important, but will do best in a bed of rich soil. It will continue 

 to throw up leaf after leaf in a dwelling house just as well as if in a 

 conservatory, the bright emerald green of the young leaves con- 

 trasting well with the deeper color of the older ones. 



Propagation. The easiest method of propagation is to cut up 

 the old stems to single eyes, and place in sand, in a warm house, 

 where the cuttings sprout in a few weeks. 



MUSA (Banana). There are a number of species grown in 

 conservatories and others are useful for sub-tropical bedding. M. 

 Uranoscopos (coccinea) may be grown in large pots and is very 

 decorative because of its brilliant red bracts. It is dwarf and needs 

 stove temperature. (For additional species see p. 287.) 



MUSS^ENDA. A handsome warm greenhouse plant, cultivated 

 for its colored bract-like growth. M. frondosa and M. luteola are 

 two of the better known species. 



Culture. They are of easy culture. 



Propagation. In Spring by cuttings. 



NEPENTHES (East India Pitcher Plants). Intheirnative 

 habitats they grow as vines. Under cultivation they are usually 

 seen as dwarf, pot or basket plants. Many beautifully marked hy- 

 brids have been raised in recent years; these are, as a rule, easiest 

 grown. N. Mastersiana is one of the best; N. Dominii, N. 



