274 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
March  26,  1896. 
they  could  then  be  taken  up  rather  before  midday,  closing  the  house 
with  moisture,  and  no  more  pressing  of  fire  heat  would  be  necessary 
until  four  or  five  o’clock. 
In  fact  all  operations  connected  with  culture  require  a  great 
deal  of  judgment  and  observation  now,  more  so  than  at  any  other 
time  of  year.  The  atmosphere  must  be  kept  moist  in  all  the  houses, 
as  it  is  inadvisable  to  water  the  plants  much  at  the  roots,  and  if  not 
done  insects  of  all  kinds  soon  put  in  an  appearance.  Thrips  revel 
in  a  hot  dry  atmosphere,  and  are  a  terrible  pest  if  once  they  get  the 
upper  hand.  Time  after  time  must  the  plants  be  sponged,  and  as 
often  as  they  are  killed  another  generation  is  ready  to  take  their 
places,  owing  to  the  great  fecundity  of  these  insects.  Tobacco  is 
the  only  remedy  likely  to  be  successful  in  making  a  clearance,  and 
in  its  varied  forms  is  one  of  the  most  useful  of  all  insecticides.  The 
vaporising  treatment  is  much  preferable  to  the  old  style  of  smoke 
fumigation,  as  few  if  any  plants  are  injured  thereby,  while  the 
tobacco  water  is  most  useful  for  sponging. 
It  is  now  a  capital  time  to  purchase  imported  plants,  as  they 
have  the  whole  season  in  front  of  them  to  recover  their  journey. 
In  selecting  Orchids  of  any  kind  from  an  importation  choose  those 
that  are  quite  dormant  and  fairly  large,  as  representative  of  the 
species,  as  such  are  always  more  satisfactory  than  weak  plants  or 
those  that  have  started  into  growth  on  the  journey.  All  distichous¬ 
leaved  kinds,  as  Aerides  or  "Vandas,  and  all  evergreen  species,  such 
as  Cattleyas,  should  have  good  healthy  leaves  on  them. 
Cypripediums  ought  to  be  firm  at  the  base  and  also  have  good 
foliage,  while  Dendrobiums  should  be  stout  and  healthy  looking 
about  the  basal  eyes,  which  latter  ought,  of  course,  to  be  dormant. 
Such  plants  are  very  little  trouble  to  establish,  and  if  carefully 
treated  may  almost  be  potted  up  at  once,  though  a  thinner  and 
rather  more  open  compost  should  be  given  than  that  recommended 
for  established  plants. — H.  R.  R. 
Dendrobium  thyrsiflorum. 
This  is  usually  an  easy  plant  to  manage,  and  yet  we  often  hear 
of  its  failure  to  bloom.  While  it  is  growing  it  should  be  helped 
as  much  as  possible  to  make  a  strong,  unchecked  growth  until 
December,  when  it  should  begin  to  rest.  In  January  and  February 
the  plants  must  be  dried  until  the  pseudo-bulbs  show  signs  of 
shrinking,  and  then  water  should  be  given.  If  this  is  kept  up  the 
bulbs  ought  to  be  1  or  2  inches  long  by  the  middle  of  February. 
If  dried  too  completely  the  buds  shrivel ;  if  kept  too  moist  new 
growths  are  encouraged  at  the  expense  of  flowers.  Dendrobium 
Hookerianum  and  D.  Dalhousianum,  in  order  to  be  flowered 
successfully,  need  more  severe  drying.  If  treated  as  evergreens 
they  flower  sparingly.  Indeed,  says  a  correspondent  in  the 
“  Garden  and  Forest,”  I  have  known  specimens  of  D.  Dalhous¬ 
ianum  to  be  5  feet  high  that  have  not  bloomed  for  years.  With  a 
good  root-system  and  large,  healthy  pseudo-bulbs  a  little  shrivelling 
does  not  hurt  them  in  the  least. 
HOUSE  DECORATIONS— TREATMENT  OF 
LARGE  PALMS. 
Indoor  decoration  in  its  many  phases  has  now  become  so 
general,  and  is  in  many  private  places  so  extensively  practised,  that 
it  may  fairly  be  termed  one  of  the  most  important  branches  of  the 
gardener’s  art.  To  carry  it  on  successfully  requires  an  expendi¬ 
ture  of  thought,  judgment,  and  unflagging  energy,  that  would 
surprise  not  a  few  who  are  accustomed  to  take  a  somewhat  super¬ 
ficial  view  of  the  matter — a  view  held  only  by  those  who  have  never 
been,  so  to  speak,  in  “  the  thick  of  the  fight.” 
The  bold  method  of  plant  arrangement,  now  so  prevalent,  has 
led  to  a  great  demand  for  large  Palms  of  stately  proportions  in 
comparatively  small  pots  or  tubs.  These,  when  judiciously  dis¬ 
posed  about  the  many  large  and  handsome  rooms  to  be  found  in 
not  a  few  of  the  “  stately  homes  of  England,”  produce  an  effect 
not  to  be  obtained  by  any  other  means,  and  entirely  in  character 
with  the  surroundings.  In  connection  with  the  matter  a  great 
difficulty  presents  itself — viz.,  that  of  keeping  such  large  and 
valuable  plants  in  fairly  good  Health  while  they  are  sojourning  in 
these  uncongenial  quarters.  All  gardeners  know  it  is  not  a 
particularly  easy  matter  to  maintain  such  in  perfect  health  and 
vigour  when  growing  in  glass  houses  in  every  way  suitable  for 
them  ;  how  much  more  difficult  must  it  then  be  to  prevent  them 
from  “going  wrong”  during  a  long  stay  in  dry,  hot  dwelling- 
rooms  ?  Where  an  ample  stock  of  plants  is  at  command  much  can, 
of  course,  be  done  by  changing  frequently  :  but  where  a  dozen  of 
these  large  Palms  are  constantly  in  use  a  treble  set  of  plants  would 
require  a  great  amount  of  glass  space  for  their  accommodation  ; 
in  fact,  something  approaching  the  resources  of  a  Frogmore,  a 
Chatsworth,  or  a  Trentham.  Unfortunately,  however,  the  demand  ' 
exists  in  places  where  the  resources  of  these  famous  gardens  are 
not  at  command.  Then  it  is  a  matter  of  doing  like  a  Briton  should, 
the  best  that  can  be  done  under  the  circumstances. 
Having  had  a  considerable  amount  of  experience  in  managing 
large  Palms  under  difficulties  I  venture  to  pen  a  few  lines,  which 
I  hope  will  be  useful  to  others  similarly  placed.  Kentias  are  real 
friends  of  the  home  decorator,  as  their  lasting  qualities  are  so  good. 
We  have  large  plants  in  12-inch  pots  which  have  been  kept  for 
five  consecutive  months  in  dwelling  rooms  without  having  lost  a 
single  leaf,  though  of  course  the  inevitable  “  limpness  ”  in  them 
could  be  at  once  detected  when  felt  with  the  hand.  With  careful 
treatment  during  the  remainder  of  the  season  in  a  warm  shaded 
house  the  whole  of  the  leaves  regained  their  wonted  freshness 
and  texture. 
Phoenix  rupicola  and  dactylifera  have  also  good  lasting  qualities, 
and  seem  to  be  equally  at  home  in  warm  or  cool  rooms.  Seaforthia 
elegans  is  well  known  as  one  of  the  most  handsome  of  Palms,  but 
should  if  possible  be  placed  in  the  coolest  rooms,  though  of  course 
not  in  draughty  positions.  In  cool  rooms,  with  the  attention  I 
shall  hereafter  describe,  even  Seaforthias  may  be  kept  for  months 
in  good  condition  ;  but  placed  in  rooms  where  large  fires  are 
constantly  maintained  the  foliage  quickly  loses  substance,  and 
becomes  too  weak  to  support  its  own  weight.  Areca  sapida  has 
bold  striking  leaves,  and  is  extremely  useful,  but  should  never  be 
placed  in  the  warmest  positions.  Cocos  plumosa,  with  its  light 
graceful  leafage,  has  no  rival  in  point  of  attractiveness.  The 
dry  atmosphere  of  rooms,  however,  so  quickly  turns  its  thread¬ 
like  leaflets  yellow  at  the  points  that  it  should  never  be  left 
in  such  positions  longer  than  a  couple  of  weeks  at  a  time.  It  is 
a  scarce  and  valuable  Palm,  and  on  that  account  I  think  ought 
rather  to  be  reserved  for  special  occasions,  instead  of  being  used 
constantly. 
The  several  varieties  of  Chamaerops  are  especially  useful  ;  but 
they  do  not  like  warm  positions  unless  they  have  been  grown  in  a 
warmer  temperature  under  glass  than  is  usually  given  them.  To 
remove  plants  grown  in  an  ordinary  greenhouse  temperature  in 
winter  to  the  dry  atmosphere  of  a  dwelling  room  usually  results  in 
the  bulk  of  the  leaves  turning  yellow  in  a  few  weeks,  whereas  if 
placed  in  rooms  only  occasionally  used,  or  in  entrance  halls  where 
the  temperature  is  comparatively  low,  they  may  often  be  allowed 
to  remain  for  three  months  at  a  time,  and  then  be  but  little  the 
worse  for  their  stay  there. 
Now  for  a  few  remarks  on  the  treatment  necessary  to  insure  the 
best  results  possible  for  Palms  subjected  to  such  unfavourable  con¬ 
ditions.  The  first  step  towards  success  in  the  matter  is  to  start 
with  healthy  plants  free  from  insects,  having  a  vigorous  amount  of 
root  action  ;  too  much  pot  room  has  been  the  cause  of  many 
disasters  among  plants  used  for  house  decoration,  and  herein  lies 
another  forcible  example  of  the  truth  of  a  well  known  adage, 
“  Necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention.”  The  employment  of  vases 
and  other  ornamental  receptacles  for  placing  plants  in  made  it 
imperative  to  limit  as  far  as  possible  the  size  of  the  pot  in  proportion 
to  the  plant,  a  practice  I  am  fully  convinced  is  also  conducive  to 
the  well-being  of  plants  growing  in  dwelling  rooms,  provided  they 
are  managed  on  the  right  lines,  but  if  once  they  are  allowed  to 
become  thoroughly  dry  the  result  is  often  fatal. 
The  following  is  the  plan  I  practise  and  strongly  recommend 
others  to  try.  Each  large  Palm  is  provided  with  a  shallow  water 
tight  tin,  about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  depth.  If  vases  are  at 
command  for  placing  the  plants  in  the  tin  is  placed  in  the  bottom 
of  the  vase  before  placing  the  plant  in  position.  The  surface  soil 
of  the  pot  is  then  neatly  mossed,  but  the  space  between  the  pot 
and  the  inside  of  the  vase  is  not  filled  with  moss  (although  many 
still  follow  that  practice).  This  allows  a  free  circulation  of  air 
around  the  pot,  tends  to  keep  everything  sweet,  and  moreover 
greatly  lessens  the  labour  of  frequently  lifting  the  plants  out  of 
the  vases  in  order  to  remove  the  moss  and  stagnant  water  resulting 
from  repeated  waterings.  These  tins  also  serve  another  and 
important  purpose.  They  are  useful  for  keeping  a  little  water  in 
constantly,  and  by  doing  this  wonders  may  be  accomplished  in  the 
way  of  preserving  plants  in  health.  1  do  not  recommend  that 
water  should  be  kept  in  all  tins  alike  ;  every  plant  must  be  studied 
in  this  respect  and  its  peculiarities  will  soon  be  discovered  by  an 
observant  waterer. 
Seaforthias  I  find  delight  in  a  far  greater  amount  of  water  at 
the  roots  than  other  Palms.  It  is  necessary  that  the  pots  should 
first  become  packed  with  roots,  then  nothing  but  good  will  follow 
in  the  wake  of  the  aquatic  treatment.  Commence  by  leaving 
water  to  the  depth  of  about  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in  the  tin  ;  if  by 
the  next  morning  this  has  been  entirely  absorbed,  a  greater  depth 
of  water  should  be  given  till  the  capacity  of  the  plant  has  been 
properly  guaged.  During  the  warm  days  of  spring  and  summer  it 
is  surprising  the  amount  of  water  these  Palms  draw  up  from  the 
