6 



THE FLORAL IVORLD 



PLANTS FOR ROOM DECORATIONS. 



Palms are among the most desira- 

 ble for room decoration. They thrive 

 well in small pots, considering the 

 size of the foliage, which is tropical 

 in appearance, graceful, and will 

 stand considerable ill usage. I think 

 the most graceful and beautiful are 

 the Kentias, Cocus Weddeliana, Sea- 

 forthea Elegans, Phoenix Reclinata, 

 Zamias. 



Pandanus and Aspidistia are state- 

 ly and effective, while Phomium Col- 

 ensoi Vasi is a grand plant for a 

 stand. The long sword-shaped leaves 

 are striped green and creamy white, 

 radiating from a common axis, giving 

 the extended fan shape. It will en* 

 dure heat, cold, drouth and moisture 

 better than most of the plants grown 

 in rooms. The India rubber tree is 

 also a good room plant. All these 

 plants are easily kept. Keep them 

 free from dust. Water when needed 

 and keep from frost and where they 

 can have a strong light and a modi- 

 cum of heat. 



Missouri. Annie E. Crafts. 



AN EFFECTIVE BAY WINDOW. 



I have a bay window on the south 

 side of my house which is greatly ad- 

 mired. It is very wide and deep. Be- 

 tween the window and the sitting 

 room there is an arch twelve feet 

 wide. Inside this arch another is 

 formed six feet wide and six and one- 

 half feet high, made up of posts, pan- 

 els and grill work. Below the window 

 sills a shelf nine inches wide is put 

 up. All is wood work and the floors 

 are of polished oak. There are no 

 carpets; just a rug in the sitting- 

 room, free from the furniture that 

 can be taken out to dust. I use a 

 broom bag on broom when sweeping, 

 as it gathers dust without raising it. 

 There are brackets on each window 

 and hooks at the tops for baskets. A 

 bird cage, some stands and tabour- 



ettes for jardinieres and the large 

 number of plants on shelves with a 

 few trees make enough for one busy 

 woman to care for them. 



But I have a plant I am proud of — 

 that is an English ivy 1 have had 

 nine years. It had only one stalk at 

 first, but as branches formed I bent 

 them down till rooted. I had seven. 

 Some of them must be over forty feet 

 in length with innumerable branches. 

 It is planted in a tub, sits at one end 

 of a large arch behind a panel out of 

 sight. The vines are put in coils andi 

 loops up one side of the arch across 

 the top on grill and down the other 

 side; it is tied up with green silk the 

 color of the leaves. In summer it is 

 taken to an east porch where it gets 

 the morning sun. The stalks are 

 tough and hardy, and will bear quite 

 rough handling. 



Illinois. Mrs. S. E. Browne. 



THE VARIEGATED JAPANESE HOP. 



In 1900 I sowed a few seeds of vari- 

 egated Japanese hop, and they were 

 lovely. In 1901 they came up thickly 

 from self-sown seed. I set a row 

 across the south side of our piazza 

 and gave them stout twine to climb 

 on to the top of the upper balcony 

 railing. How they grew! In a short 

 time they reached the end of the 

 twine; they would have gone to the 

 roof if the twine had, I guess. The 

 leaves were immense with lovely 

 creamy shadings, and from each leaf 

 a branch shot straight across to the 

 next twine, making a complete net- 

 work and lovely screen. Then it was- 

 covered with its pretty blossoms, and 

 now in 1902 the seedlings are up- 

 again, enough for the whole village. 

 I know nothing prettier, so quickly 

 and easily grown. 



Main. Aroline P. Adams. 



Avoid sowing seeds of annuals out- 

 doors too early. Unless bed is" well 

 sheltered, about the time the apple 

 blooms is soon enough. 



