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HOME AXD FLO]YERS 



room. Because greenhouse heat has not 

 yet been turned on, therefore the plants 

 have not been weakened by the warm, 

 moist atmosphere peculiar to such places. 

 After they have become used to the con- 

 ditions which prevail there, they are sure 

 to suffer when removed to rooms where 

 the air is hot and dry. This being the 

 case, it stands ns in hand to get them 

 early in the season, before they have been 

 subjected to conditions so unlike those 

 to be found in the ordinary dwelling that 

 we cannot successfully imitate them. 

















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Success with Palms. — I am convinced 

 that more persons fail with Palms because 

 of imperfect drainage than from any othe ■ 

 cause. In order to keep them in good 

 condition, their root-action must be as 

 nearly perfect as possible, and it cannot 

 be that if the soil is kept so wet that it 

 sours. In a soil soured because of stag- 

 nant water, the roots soon become dis- 

 eased, and the first indication the plant 

 gives of this condition is seen in the 

 yellowing of the tips of the leaves. By all 

 means, pay particular attention to drain- 

 age. Palms like a moist soil, but not a 

 wet one. If good drainage is provided, 



surplus water can always find a ready es- 

 cape at the bottom of the pot, and there 

 is no harm resultant from over-watering. 

 Palms like a rather heavy soil, like gar- 

 den loam. Ferns are fond of much lighter 

 soil, like leaf mold and sand, or turfy mat- 

 ter and sand. But they also require good 

 drainage. If you give them this, water 

 may be applied daily without any danger 

 of injury. 



It is a good plan to use horn shavings 

 in the soil for Palms. These shavings 

 contain a great deal of nutriment. This, 

 however, is not given off very rapidly, as 

 moisture does not affect them all at once. 

 Because of this, they are very useful, as 

 they give a lasting quality to the soil 

 which makes frequent repotting unneces- 

 sary. 



Asparagus Spreiigeri. — This plant 

 ought to be given attention at least once a 

 year, if you desire to keep it in a healthy, 

 growing condition — and it is not fully 

 satisfactory when not growing. Old 

 plants, that have been neglected, often 

 fail to throw up the new shoots upon 

 which one must depend for beauty, and 

 thvy cannot be coaxed to do so as long as 

 their roots are cramped for room. This 

 makes it necessary for us to separate the 

 old roots, and put the smaller plants thus 

 secured in seven, eight or nine inch pots, 

 or to shift the old cramped specimens into 

 pots too large for convenient handling. 

 I would advise the division plan. Be- 

 cause of the thick mass of roots which 

 form, the only way in which the old plant 

 can be separated is by cutting. You can- 

 not hreal' the roots apart. Take a thin- 

 bladed, sharp knife, or a small saw, and 

 cut down through the mass. Of course 

 many of the tuberous roots will be in- 

 jured by this summary method, but no 

 great harm will be done by it, as there will 

 be plenty of untouched roots left in the 

 portions of soil which escapes knife or 

 saw. The best portions of root to use are 

 those of recent growth, provided you 

 make sure that there is an "eye," or grow- 



