74 



GARDENING FOR PLEASURE. 



pail or tub of water, so that the earth is thoroughly soaked 

 through ; how often this immerson will be necessary will 

 depend on the weather, the condition of the plants 

 and the quantity of earth. If the bowl of the basket is 

 full of roots, and the weather hot and dry, then once 

 each day may be necessary ; while if the weather is damp 

 and cool, it might not require watering more than once 

 a w^eek. The rule with these as with all plants is — never 

 water unless they are dry, and then water thoroughly. 

 Just what this condition of being " dry" is, is not quite, 

 so easy to describe ; as a rule most soils when dry become 

 lighter in color and crumble freely between the fingers, 

 and are free from the putty-like consistency they haye 

 when wet. The bowls of "rustic" and "Terra Cotta" 

 forms of hanging baskets are usually without: any holes 

 for drainage ; when such is the case, the purchaser 

 should have a few holes, say one-fourth inch in diameter, 

 made in the bottom of the bowl, else there is dan- 

 ger that the earth around the roots may become satura- 

 ted with water, unless unusual care is taken in watering. 

 There is great diversity of taste displayed in the material 

 with which these baskets are filled, and no special list of 

 plants can be given that will not require to be annually 

 changed and amended as new plants are introduced. 

 When hanging baskets are wanted for use in shady rooms, 

 or on shaded verandas, mosses, (selaginellas), are used, 

 and sometimes exclusively. Then for the same condi- 

 tions, Ivies of all sorts, Cissus, Tradescantias, Sedums or 

 Stone Crops, Fittonias, Lysimachia or Moneywort, Vin- 

 cas, Ivy -leaved Geraniums, Smilax, etc., as plants to 

 droop over the sides, or to be trained to climb on the 

 trellis work or supports of the basket, while in the center 

 there are used upright plants, such as Dracaenas of sorts, 

 Caladiums, (if for summer), Marantas, Centaureas, 

 Echeverias, Ferns, Sanchezia nobilis, and other plants of 

 striking form or foliage. For baskets to be placed in the 



