PALMS AND THEIB USES. 35 



which -we are acquainted, their chief requirements being 

 good drainage, and an abundant supply of water to both 

 roots and foliage — in the latter case, however, be sure it 

 is clean. Perhaps the greatest error it is possible to fall 

 into in growing Palms, is to keep them dry at any period 

 of the year. Very many kinds of Palms grow on the 

 banks of rivers — nay almost or quite in the water ; others, 

 although growing at considerable distances from running 

 streams, are only found in humid places, or forming the 

 undergrowth of the forests where little evaporation takes 

 place ; and even those species or individuals which seem 

 to thrive in somewhat stony and dry places, have their 

 roots deep down in the earth, where the parching heat 

 and drought has little or no effect upon them. Whereas, 

 under pot cultivation, theorists seem to utterly ignore the 

 fact that they are burning and shrivelling up the roots, 

 which in a state of nature never, or at most very seldom, 

 are in the least degree affected. In growing Palms our 

 practice is never to allow them to feel the want of 

 water. Many of the kinds should be grown in water, 

 winter and summer, and if it is possible to keep th& 

 water in which they stand slightly heated so much the 

 better ; if this cannot be done the next best plan is to 

 stand them in large pans of water, which may be allowed 

 to become dry once during the twenty-four hours, but 

 never during the night. This latter point should be 

 specially borne in mind by plant growers, for we have 

 seen many plants completely ruined by inattention to it ; 

 and if those who advocate the drying up of plant houses 

 would only think of and remember the heavy dews we 

 have during the hours of night in England, they would 

 be better able to appreciate what must be the state of 

 things in a tropical couiftry. 

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