36 SCHOOL AND HOME GARDENS 
must be well drained, so that the water will run away 
from the roots easily. There should be a space of at least 
an inch above the soil in the pot so that it may be given 
an occasional dressing of well-decayed leaf mold. This 
will supply the plant with some nourishment and help 
hold the moisture. Ordinarily the leaves need not be 
watered, but they must be washed when they become 
dusty. 
In repotting the plant use well-rotted manure, leaf 
mold, soil, and sand, one part of each. The soil must 
be well mixed but should not be too fine. 
Ferns are reproduced by means of spores that grow 
on the underside of the leaves, but this cannot be done 
successfully in the house without the help of a glass 
case to retain the moisture. New plants which come up 
from the roots may be obtained from a thrifty fern m a 
large pot. 
PALMS 
Kentia belmoreana, one of the erect-growing, feather- 
leaved palms, is the most beautiful and successful plant 
for halls and other places in school buildings where 
light is not abundant. The foliage is dark green and the 
leaves are wide and gracefully recurved. It does not 
need any direct sunlight and will stand a temperature 
nearly as low as freezing or the usual living-room 
temperature. 
For a low-growing variety the fan palm (Livistona 
sinensis) is the most popular. It is of a compact and 
