FERNS, FICUS 



369 



You can purchase your requirements in early Spring from the 

 specialist and what you have left over plant out on your own grounds. 

 They will be good for another year. 



FEVERFEW 



See Matricaria 



FICUS ELASTICA (RUBBER PLANT) 



The Rubber Plant has always been considered one of the best 

 of the decorative house plants, mainly on account of its excellent 

 keeping quaUties. Some of your customers may keep them for years 

 in the bay window until they finally outgrow their quarters and you 

 are asked whether you would not like to buy them back. 



The retail grower doesn't sell as many as in former years, but 

 during the past few years, with the shortage of palms, they have 

 again come to the front. Plants 2 to 3 ft. in height in 5- and 6-in. 

 pots, with stem or stems covered with large, shiny, dark green 

 leaves, can often be sold when a palm is too expensive. We also 

 have noticed them of late years in among the foUage plants in city 

 window boxes where they stand sun, heat and dust about as well 

 as EngUsh Ivy. 



The time to root cuttings 

 of this variety is during the 

 Winter months. Do it where 

 you can have bottom heat of 

 80 deg. with a temporary 

 frame over the bench to create 

 a close atmosphere. Make 

 cuttings with one leaf, cut the 

 stem below the joint and pot 

 up into 23^-in. pots filled with 

 very sandy soil. Place a stake 

 10 in. long in each pot, loosely 

 roll the leaf around the stake 

 and tie it with raffia. After 

 that it is a matter of keeping 

 the pots moist at all times. A 

 good way is to fill in around 

 them up to the rim with sand 

 and moss, keep a steady bot- 

 tom heat, and spray the leaves 

 each day with warm water, 

 placing a sash or piece of glass pig. I6O.— Ficuspandubata. This species, 

 over the frame and leaving whUe a grand decorative plant for the home 

 iust a crack for air Another «"d dififering but slightly f rom F. elastica 

 JUSl a craCK lor air. Anoiner j^ cultural requirements, finds it harder to 

 way is to root the tops with win recognition by the smaller florist 



