142 



HARD-STEMMED GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



decoration. Its pinnae are narrow and numerous, and 

 of a delightful fresh green, while the stems are an 

 almost golden yellow when properly matured. 



Phanix rc-clinata and P. rupicola, species of the date 

 palm, are of a distinct character, quite hardy and dura- 

 ble. They can stand much hardship, are excellent for 

 house decoration, and can also be used outdoors on the 

 lawn or in vases as center plants. P. reclinata is of an 

 upright habit, while P. j-iipuola, often called the fountain 

 palm, is more graceful, inclined to be weeping, and with 

 finer foliage, which curves more from the center. 



Latania or Livistonia Borbonica is the real fan palm, of 

 which many thousands are annually used for indoor and 

 outdoor decorations. It is a native of China and Japan, 

 and from it are manufactured the regular Japanese fans. 

 It is a noble and imposing species, and perhaps the best 

 known palm in cultivation. 



Cycas revoluta, the sago palm, also called the palm of 

 victory, is a native of China, Japan and east Africa. 

 Its leaves or fronds were anciently used in decorating 

 conquerors, and it is supposed to be the palm frequently 

 referred to in the Bible. The stem or trunk as well as 

 the leaves are of a hardy nature. Before it is developed 

 the former has the shape of a lily-bulb, but as it grows 

 old it forms a tree-like stem, from which sago is taken. 

 The leaves, which are as tough as whalebone, are exten- 

 sively used for funeral decorations. A pair, a cluster, 

 or even a wreath of them forms quite a handsome de- 



sign, especially when tied up with a bunch or cluster of 

 flowers or a sheaf of wheat. For house decorative pur- 

 poses the plants are everlasting, and under proper treat- 

 ment will bring forth new sets of leaves every year. 

 Not only are they good house plants in winter, but they 

 are also well adapted for the lawn or veranda in summer. 

 Smaller plants of this species with several leaves can be 

 had for from |2 to $5 apiece, while as much as I500 has 

 been paid for grand specimens. 



In addition to the five species above described, we 

 also show a pretty palm of rather dwarfish habit, with 

 fine fern-like fronds, especially well adapted to table 

 decorations. This is Cocos IVeddeliana, a native of Bra- 

 zil. It is an excellent little palm for house culture, and 

 it has often been observed by practical florists that it 

 does better in a dwelling-house than in a greenhouse, 

 because it thrives best in a dry atmosphere. 



All that these palms really need to make them thrive 

 well in house culture is that they be regularly watered. 

 Their wants are regulated more or less by the tempera- 

 ture of the room they are in, and they need to be wat- 

 ered only when the soil begins to get dry — but it must 

 never be allowed to get very dry. Then a sprinkling or 

 a shower bath can be given them in the bathroom or 

 even in a basin. Frequent washing or sponging of the 

 fronds or leaves is also essential to their welfare. A 

 regular and moderate living-room temperature is best 

 suited to all of them. Henry A. Siebrecht. 



HARD-STEMMED GREENHOUSE PLANTS. 



SOME SPECIAL DIRECTIONS FOR THEIR CULTIVATION. 



'OW that hard-stemmed greenhouse 

 plants seem doomed to forgetful- 

 ness, and we find but few good col- 

 lections, and these outside of 

 botanic gardens, let us try to revive 

 a love for some of them. There 

 are among them some of great 

 value to florists' and amateurs' 

 collections, both for profit and pleasure. 



It is true that there are many other plants, especially 

 soft-stemmed kinds, which can make a strong growth in 

 about half the time required by hard-stemmed sorts, and 

 which, therefore, m.ay be sold at a lower price ; still, 

 many of the others, if reintroduced into oui> markets, 

 would be found to repay the cultivator well for his trou- 

 ble and outlay. See what beautiful flowering kinds these 

 hard-stemmed plants include — for example, the order 

 myrtaceae, with its callistemon, genetyllis, Beaufortias, 

 calliandras and others, and what beauties are found in 

 the orders proteaceae, leguminosse, etc. There are hun- 

 dreds to select from, many of high value. 



The general method of propagating hard-stemmed 

 plants under glass is by cuttings ; but many may be raised 

 from seeds sown in February and March, which will 



soon vegetate and produce strong plants before the fol- 

 lowing winter. The pots or seed-pans should be clean 

 and well drained, with a thin layer of moss or litter at 

 the bottom ; fill with mold suitable to the species, and 

 cover the surface with a layer of sifted soil. For soil 

 use a compost of loam and leaf-mold, or peat and leaf- 

 mold, the latter being suitable for most plants. Do 

 not neglect to add plenty of silver-sand, which keeps the 

 soil open and quickens the development of the young 

 roots. 



If in want of room, sow several different kinds in one 

 pot, and if the quality of the seeds is doubtful, sow them 

 thickly. Usually, however, it is better to sow thinly, 

 and it is preferable to sow every kind separately and 

 give doubtful seeds a chance to grow comfortably. 

 Cover the seeds, if large, with a thin layer of mold; 

 very fine seeds need no covering. 



With reasonably moist soil it is not necessary to water 

 the seed-pans at once, as there is danger that the seeds 

 would be washed out of place. Too much moisture 

 causes a greenish growth on top of the soil, which pre- 

 vents the seeds from germinating ; and when it is re- 

 moved, some of the finer seeds will be removed with it. 



Place the pots in a pit in an airy position, but not ex- 

 posed to the sun. Protect from the burning sun with a 



