House Plants for Christmas Presents— By James T. Scott 



HOW TO SELECT KINDS THAT WILL LAST ANOTHER YEAR, INSTEAD OF DYING IN 

 A FORTNIGHT— WHAT TO DO WITH THEM DURING AND AFTER THE HOLIDAYS 



New 

 York 



GROWING plants, in pots, are far more 

 satisfactory than cut flowers for 

 Christmas presents. They cost about the 

 same, but the latter will quickly fade, while 

 the former live and, with due care and atten- 

 tion, grow better. 



WHEN AND HOW TO BUY 



If you want the best plants the market 

 offers, be early. Make your selections at 

 least five or six days before the holidays. 

 The stores always have samples enough on 

 hand about that time to give you an idea of 

 what you are likely to get. An early selection 

 means a, greater variety to choose from, be- 

 sides saving much confusion and disappoint- 

 ment in the ultimate rush. There is the matter 

 of packing. When left until the last min- 

 ute, this has to be done hurriedly, and (with 

 the severe weather usually prevailing at that 

 time) is often done insufficiently. Give the 

 florist a clear idea of what the plants are to 

 be used for and where they will be placed. 



WHERE TO BUY 



Other things being equal, it is better to buy 

 plants near one's home than to travel afar. 

 Do not be tempted even by cheap offers to go 

 miles away, for, counting carfares, packing, 

 expressage and lost time, the ultimate cost is 

 very likely to be more than if you had paid a 

 good deal higher price at home. Of course 

 it may happen that one grower or florist has 

 a large stock of some one thing and can sell 

 at a low rate, but dealers usually have an un- 

 derstanding with one another, especially 

 regarding holiday prices, and for weeks be- 

 fore the holiday season they have been balan- 

 cing stock with each other, so that the better 



quality plants are of an almost fixed value. 

 Any specially low price is nearly always asso- 

 ciated with a correspondingly low grade in 

 the plants offered. A byword among deal- 

 ers in plants is: "If you have to shade your 

 price, you can always shade your stock." 

 Plants differ from ordinary merchandise in 

 the risk of damage during transit. They 

 may be frozen or injured during delivery and 

 still not show the effects for a day or two, 

 perhaps not until after the bill has been paid. 

 A reputable dealer always assumes the risk, 

 and will replace the damaged specimens. 



WHAT TO BUY 



Don't buy anything that has every flower 

 expanded. If a few of the flowers are open, 

 that is sufficient. Every bud will open in 

 due course and the life of your plant's beauty 

 will be prolonged, and, moreover, a plant in 

 bud will stand the necessary handling much 

 better than one in full flower. 



A BEGONIA THAT IS ALWAYS IN FLOWER 



Perhaps the best flowering plant for Christ- 

 mas is the Gloire de Lorraine begonia. I say 

 this because the plant is always in flower — 

 not a few blooms, but whole sheets of bright 

 pink. It is an interesting plant because of 

 the mystery of its cultural requirements dur- 

 ing the growing season. When first intro- 

 duced a few years ago many florists tried to 

 grow the plant and gave it up in despair, but 

 a few succeeded. When offered at the holi- 

 day season it became at once the great favor- 

 ite, and it is now a popular plant all over the 

 country. The price has fallen considerably, 

 and now well-grown, shapely plants of good 

 size can be procured for $2.50. 



A white variety of this, which is called 

 Turnford Hall, is of more recent introduction, 

 but it will never be so popular as the original. 

 White is not a Christmas color, and it is 

 largely the color that enhances the value of 

 Gloire de Lorraine. It is a dark glistening 

 pink and the flowers hang down in great 

 clusters, covering the pot; so dense and 

 profuse are the flowers that scarcely a bit of 

 green can be seen when the plant is in 

 full bloom. The dry atmosphere of the 

 living room suits it well. When in flower a 

 temperature of 55 is best, but ten degrees 

 either more or less will do it no harm. 1 

 have known Gloire de Lorraine to retain its 

 bloom in a house for three months. When 

 in full vigor it requires an abundant supply 

 of water, but don't spray overhead, as that 

 causes spots on both foliage and flowers. 

 That is the one important thing to know 

 about this plant. 



When flowering is over give less water,, 

 but do not dry off entirely. Cut off all the 

 old flowering tips and keep the plants in a 

 semi-resting condition. About May or June 

 shake off part of the old soil and repot in a 

 fresh mold, rich, but of light texture. Grow 

 on in a warm place shaded from the direct 

 rays of the sun. Water as in the case of any 

 other plant, but still remember that overhead 

 spraying will be injurious. By care and at- 

 tention your begonia will blossom forth again 

 next Christmas. 



THE ONLY REAL EVER-FLOWERING ROSE 



The delightful little ever-flowering rose, 

 Madame Norbert Levavasseur, has been well 

 named "The Baby Rambler," for it is to be 

 likened to nothing so much as the ubiquitous 



The best feathery white-flowered Christmas plant 

 is Astilbe Japonica, sometimes called Spiraea Japonica 

 in the stores. Plant out in the garden after cold 

 weather has passed 



The lemon-scented verbena (Aloysia citriodora) is 

 worth having for the fragrant leaves. Its flowers, 

 which are not worth considering, are produced out- 

 doors in summertime 



223 



The Paris daisy, or Marguerite, is the best of alt 

 the daisy-liKe flowers for hall decoration. It flowers 

 three times in the year and is one of the most satis- 

 factory of all. Inexpensive too! 



