The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-02-06
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
myrsiphyllum Asparagoides.

Myrsiphyllum Asparagoides.
Mr.. C. NJ. 4ovey of Boston some time since
the following interesting article
On this plant to the London Garden;
Judging from the slight reference made in
English journals to this plant, the old name
of which was Smilax, have come TO the
conclusion that its great merits as decora
tive plant are either unknown, or but little
appreciated. introduced from the Cape OF
Good Hope as long ago as 1902, it ought by
this time to be tolerably well known; but, I'M
doubtedly from want of proper treatment, or
neglect of some sort, its capabilities for dec
Grafton of many kinds have been to some ex-
tent overlooked. Here, in the neighborhood
of Boston, it is grown by the thousand; GER
tainly more than twenty-five houses, some OF
them 100 feet long. and proportionately Wide,
are filled with it. and produce two crops
year. At large funerals, for church decora-
lions at Christmas and Easter, and for large
saloons, not less than 500 or 1000 sprays are
used at one time. Chandeliers and mirrors
are wreathed with it, and in almost any form
it fills place which no plant yet known can
do. Its foliage is very delicate and small, of a
beach nut shape with a glossy green surface,
and so thickly clothes the tiny stem, that it is
literally mass of shining green, softening any
harsh color, and Tightening any light one
bending without breaking, holding its verdure
for long period, and, in truth. wreath in
itself of singular beauty. The spray or vines,
as usually grown, are to feet long, thick
with foliage) at the base, and taperiDg to the
point, no larger than the finest silk. We have
Just at this moment June 26), one house
filled with the Myrsiphyllum, from to feet
high and pretty sight it is. It runs up on
strings from A to inches apart, and the
whole house is mass of verdure. These
strings are attached to wires or slender rods,
fastened at the base, and corresponding ones
at the top. When wanted tor use, the string
is cut at the top and bottom, and very gent
ly pulled out, leaving only the small stems
and smaller branches and foliage intact-a per-
feet wreath that the most skiilful bouquetiste
could not initiate. As it is grown here, the
roots are planted, from July to September, in
a well prepared bed oflight rich soil, foot or
more deep. After one or two waterings it
soon starts, like, asparagus, grows rapidly,
and In three months, after proper harden ing
off, is ready to cut. A little more heat is
then given it, and it makes another growth,
which, at the end of three or four mon tbs, is
ready to cut again. 1t is allowed to rest in
June and July, by withholding water, and
keeping cooler temperature, after which it
begins the second years growth, which will
phyllum is a great feeder, and it cannot be
grown well in small pots; when cultivated in
this way, three or four, or six roots are placed
around the edge of 12 or 15-inch pots, and
then the shoots attain the height of 10 feet.
AS basket ornament it is the most charming
of plants. To grow it well in this way three
roots should be planted in July or August, in
one of the rustic baskets so much used; the
basket may then, for convenience, be placed
on the ground, in half.shady position, and
watered freely. Then attach three strings,
6 feet or more long, one for each plant, to the
basket, and fasten the other ends at the top,
at good distance apart, to keep them from
running together. Here let them grow till
just before frost, when the shoots will have
reached the top; then loosen the strings at
the top, and Irvine them in any form, either
up the handle or round and round; cut, and
pick out the strings, suspend the basket in a
cool room, and you will have constantly be-
fore you an object, the beauty of which will
never pail upon the senses. but will increase
with the growth of the plants. All winter it
will be delight to you, as it was to me dur
ing one of the coolest snowstorms of January
last, when visiting Mr.. Hunnewelp s place, at
Wellesley. Overtaken by the storm, stop
ed at the village hotel to dine, and two bask-
cts of the Myrsiphyllam were suspended at
each of the dining-room windows, which
were white with driven snow, and the green
of its foliage was intense and glowing and
gracefully disposed round about them,
warmth is necessary to grow it., but when
hardened off it is almost evergreen, a temper
ature of 40 being ample to preserve and keep
it fresh for long time. Our Boston florists
supply New York and Philadelphia with thous-
ands of strings during the winter-in fact,
the great supply is from Boston, where it has
been cultivated largely for years, and its
growth seems to be well understood. The
demand for the home trade is very large.
The great wants of the plant are heat (when
growing), plenty of water, and good root
space. No plant is more impatient of cramp-
ing in small pots; when so treated its real
beauty is gone. Such plant ought to be
grown in the same way, and in the similar
quantities, for your market. 1t is almost as
indispensable as rose buds; in ALI choice dec
orations you need only to see 1t arranged in
good taste to be at once fascinated by its slen-
der twining stems covered with luxuriant YER
dure or thickly studded with beautiful little
green berries, and, when in bloom, by the
delicious odor of its minute greenish-white
flowers. Certainly, nature never gave US a
vine so perfectly fitted for the purpoes re-
quired as the Myrsiphyllum. We have three
varieties of this pretty plant, neither of any
particular value for cutting, but very beautiful
for pot or basket culture. They are as follows:
!. N. longifolium, with leaves nearly twice
the length of the species, and very long poiut-
ed. I'm. uariega2una, like the parent in size
and shape of foliage, but distinctly and beau
tifully striped with white. 8. M. gracillimuna,
with the most minute foliage, of which Isend
you specimen, a veritable Tom Thumb.