December, 1911 
country we, too, have a Holly of our own. ‘This plant grows 
almost anywhere along the Atlantic coast and it would be 
dificult to find a more attractive hedge plant for sandy 
soils, although it has not yet been utilized to the extent it 
deserves to be by landscape architects. In Central Park, 
New York city, for instance, the writer recalls but one 
specimen of it, and that almost hidden 
from sight by being planted in a 
shrubbery near a wall. The accom- 
panying illustration gives a fair idea 
of the general appearance of the 
American Holly when allowed to at- 
tain some height. The species should 
always be planted with staminate 
specimens among pistillate ones. This 
ensures the fertilization of the pollen 
of the tiny flowers and consequently 
the brilliant berries that form an at- 
tractive contrast of scarlet against the 
dull, deep green spiny leaves of this 
lovely plant. The Japanese Holly 
(Ilex crenata) 1s a little known species 
in America, but the writer has found 
that it will thrive in the vicinity of 
Greater New York, though it needs 
winter protection north of Baltimore. 
The old-time English Holly (lex 
aquifolium) is not often seen in 
American gardens, as it is not so hardy 
as the American species. Readers 
find in the literature of Latin coun- | 
tries, in travel books and in poetry, innumerable references 
to the Ilex tree, but they do not know perhaps that the Hex 
and the Holly are the same—one the Latin name and one 
the common name. 
AN ATTRACTIVE WEATHER-VANE 
HEN we look around our gardens as we stroll out 
on fair winter days for an inspection of the premises, 
it may occur to us that here and there an attractive weather- 
vane would be a welcome note in the winter landscape. 
The merry looking little wooden sailors carved by the old 
tars of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, with arms whirl- 
ing in the winter winds, are well known to everyone who 
visits the country places of the Massachusetts coast. On 
old Cape Cod the country dwellers have shown much in- 
genuity in the matter of fashioning all sorts of attractive 
little devices for indicating the direction of the wind, one 
of which is shown in the accompanying illustration. It 
is made of wood, painted and varnished to represent a 
life-sized crow sitting upon a post. This post, by the 
way, was one to which the end of the clothes-line in the 
clothes-yard is attached on “blue Mondays,” and carried 
with it a pleasing little suggestion of the old nursery 
rhyme, ‘“‘along came a blackbird.”” The Germans are es- 
pecially skillful in devices of this sort, and it suggests a 
pleasant workroom occupation for the winter months, for 
one may cut out these figures for wind-vanes from metal 
or wood, paint them up and have them thoroughly dried 
and seasoned for putting out in the springtime to enhance 
the interest of the home landscape. 
HOUSE-PLANTS FOR SHADED WINDOWS 
HE window-garden in January will be worth every bit 
of the care and pains it requires and all the trouble it 
has already cost. Shaded window locations often prove 
stumbling blocks to the beginners at window-gardening, for 
the problem of what to make grow therein is one which pre- 
sents difficulties. Begonias, Primroses, Fuchias, and Ferns, 
Palms and other ornamental foliage plants will thrive where 
there is light, though no direct sunshine. It is a mistake to 
suppose a direct southern exposure the best location for 
AMERICAN HOMES 
A crow weather-vane from old Cape Cod. This 
was placed on a post in the clothes-yard, and 
formed an interesting silhouette against the gray 
winter sky 
AND GARDENS 453 
house-plants, although next to a southeast window, which is 
the best, a south window comes in order of selection. 
FERNS FOR INDOORS 
UMEROUS requests have been received from readers 
for lists of Ferns for indoors, some desiring informa- 
tion as to the best varieties for potting and others wishing 
to know what Ferns are especially to 
be recommended for hanging baskets. 
Where one intends to place the Ferns 
in an unheated conservatory, the fol- 
lowing species are among the best to 
select: FOR POTTING—Adiatum Pe- 
datum, Asplenium cristatum, Polypod- 
ium vulgare cambricum, Pteris scab- 
erula, Scolopendrium vulgare crispum, 
Woodwardia radicans and Woodsia 
ilvensis. FOR BASKETS—Polystichum 
angulare, P. angulare proliferum, 
W oodwardia radicans and Athyrium 
felix faemina corybiferum. FOR 
WALL GROWING — Asplenium ma- 
rinum, Polypodium fatcatum, Poly- 
stichum aculeatum and Scolopendrium. 
Of course, there are many other varie- 
ties, but these few will be more than 
enough for the amateur indoor gard- 
ener. For ordinary room windows 
nearly all of the Ferns mentioned will 
prove successful, but the following 
are especially recommended for the 
indoor window garden: Polypodium 
aureum, Asplenium bulbiferum, Nephrodium molle, Cyrto- 
mium falcatum, Pteris cretica, Scolopendrium vulgare cris- 
pum, Pteris tremula, Polystichum angulare and Pteris cretica 
nobilis. There are few plants for indoors that give as much 
pleasure to the amateur as do Ferns, and one is careful to 
see that they are cleanly potted and in well-drained pots. 
The American Holly (/lex opaca) well deserves to be better known 
