PALMS FOR HOUoE CULTURE. 



manure on her wild beauties, but covers them up with a 

 soft warm coat of dead leaves, and in spring the bright 

 blossoms come forth. Now do the same ; save all the 

 dead leaves you can, and put them in between the plants. 

 They will rot, and if you dig them in with your fork in 

 spring you give your pets just what they want, and your 

 bed will soon have a rich suitable soil for wild-flowers. 



When you set out your house-plants put down cuttings 

 of bright-colored geraniums, alyssums or dwarf nastur- 

 tiums, and it will certainly be through lack of care only, 

 if you have not a bed the delight of yourself and admir- 

 ation of your neighbors. 



I have named only the commonest, simplest kinds of 

 wild-flowers, some of which may be grown anywhere in 

 the garden ; but for those who have deep lots there are 

 greater possibilities. There are two ladies in Oxford 

 street, Brooklyn, who have had a wild garden for 

 years, and in addition to all the above, they have suc- 

 ceeded in flowering those mentioned hereafter. Part of 

 this garden is in a wide alley-way between two tall 

 houses, so it shows what can be done with care. The 

 exquisite kalmia and the dwarf sheep-laurel, the 

 white azalea and Rhododendron viscosum — all have 

 bloomed for them with time and infinite patience. 

 There are the Iris versicolor and J'irgimca, claytonia or 

 spring beauty, Solomon's-seal, wild sunflowers, blue- 

 eyed grass, coral honeysuckle, eupatoriums, some or- 

 chids, wintergreen, wild phlox, and many others. Last 

 season they had go spikes of blossoms of the Lobelia car- 

 dinalis, which was a truly regal show. 



I have said nothing about the orchidaceous plants as 

 yet, because they require diflferent treatment. They 

 grow mostly surrounded with fibrous earth. When 

 taken up a good-sized piece of it should be cut out with 

 them, so as not to expose the roots ; for good by to 

 your orchids if this is done. They must be set between 

 other plants so that they can be screened, and only the 

 heads of the flowers should be in the sun. In the spring 

 the mat of fibrous earth around the roots must be slightly 

 stirred, and fresh soil brought from wood or swamp and 

 put around it to keep up the supply of nutriment. 

 Never let the roots get thoroughly dry. 



Believe me, a wild garden will well repay you. "All 

 labor hath profit," and truly nothing yields so large an 

 interest in health and pleasure as a garden. But care 

 for your pets yourself, for they will never thrive unless 

 you love them enough to treat them as Eva did Topsy, 

 instead of leaving them to the precise but harsh rule of 

 the hired man Beware of his spade ! Keep your wild 

 bed sacred from his diggings. Take one of the handy 

 little forks and dig around your wild plants to loosen 

 the earth and bury the dead leaves, and even while you 

 are doing it, in early April, the little harbingers of 

 spring — the dainty blue, white and pink hepaticas — will 

 have their bright eyes open watching you. 



What has been done can be done again, and I do hope 

 I may hear of some ladies who have taken my hints and 

 succeeded with a wild garden. Why not report the 

 results in American Gardening. 



Brooklyn, N. Y. M. L. P. 



PALMS FOR HOUSE CULTURE. 



O HOUSE is com- 

 plete in its appoint- 

 ments without one 

 or more handsome 

 palms. W e give 

 the names of a few 

 of those most suit- 

 able for general 

 house and room 

 decoration. Every 

 woman of taste and 

 refinement loves to 

 make her home beautiful and attractive. Elegant 

 furniture, rich paintings and costly bric-a-brac help 

 to produce this effect, still there is not much of life 

 in all these ; but the introduction of a few choice 

 palms gives a cheerful aspect to all about them. A 

 few years ago these plants of royal grandeur and 

 historic fame were considered great luxuries, such 

 as only a few of our wealthiest people could afford 

 to enjoy ; but, through some of our enterprising 

 florists who now cultivate them by the hundreds of 

 thousands, they are brought within the reach of 



every lover of beautiful plants. A single fine palm 

 transforms a plain room to a spot of beauty. 



Formerly, all palms were imported from European 

 nurseries, but now we can export them and supply Eu- 

 rope to a great extent, and with better varieties, too, 

 than we used to import. The best-known varieties, illus- 

 trated on page 141, can now be had in all sizes and 

 at moderate prices ($1 and upwards). The kentias are 

 natives of Australia, growing upon high, rather rocky 

 and naturally well-drained slopes. On Lord Howe's 

 Island there are several sub-varieties. K. Belmoreana 

 is really the most graceful and best-furnished sort, with 

 dark green foliage. K. Forsteriana is somewhat taller, 

 and has lighter green, graceful, weeping and curved 

 leaves or fronds. A'. Atistralis is much like the last 

 named, but it grows stronger and is of more robust 

 habit. The foliage of these kentias is of a tough, hardy, 

 leathery texture. The several other varieties are not 

 so well adapted for house decoration. 



Next to the kentias we put Areca lutescens. This 

 beautiful species is a native of India, and is often de- 

 scribed as the plumed or feathery palm, having long, 

 tall and highly graceful curving fronds. Being well 

 furnished from the base, it is a great favorite, and 

 thousands of specimens are annually used for house 



