Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-10-25
HOUSE PLANTS.
How to Keep Them Fresh and Fine
All Winter Ionn,

| Very few housekeepers naturally ambi-
| tious TO beautify their rooms in winter with
foliage plants, recognize that like cats, or
dogs, canaries, or children, palms and ferns
require time for becoming naturalized and
happy in their new homes.
fern or palm brought In the most
vigorous health from the florists green
house will often enough droop and pine in
genuine home sickness, and like young ami
mails or birds, plants thrive most happily
in each others company. 1t Is, therefore
advisable to begin a bit OF a window con-
servatory, not with one, but let us say with
three plants. The best selection is usually
a sturdy India rubber tree, Fiscus elasticus,
is what the florists call 1t; parlor PLAN,
that Is an Aspidistra lurida, and big pot
of zebra plan Eulalia japonica zebrina,
which you can tell by its long lovely
striped green and white leaves that grow
In an elegant cascade.
All of these are recommended because
they are hardy, easily kept clean and need
potting only once year They will live,
too, in a room where gas Is burned, where
an occasional pipe or cigarette Is smoked
and where there is fire. In turn for SO
much sturdy good nature they must have
not only care, but that given regularly
every day. The woman who complains that
she can't raise house-plants Is simply negli-
gent of them She moves them about too
much, is not always needful of their need Of
water permits the room they sit in to be-
come very cold at night and then very hot
during the day. Probably, too, she does
not cover them up at night, nor in any
way protect them from dust.
Happily where so many sins Of omission
and commission are committed the poor
things die quickly and so escape their
wretched existence. II you intend to keep
plants put them in window that has double
sashes and where the greatest amount of
sunshine strikes for the longest time every
day. Roll the shades high and drape the
cutains back far and only for the livelest
necessity move the pots. Every day, at as
nearly the same hour as you can manage,
water these household pets They will be
grateful for the regularity and unfailingly
once a week give them a bath. That U.s.
with sponge and clear tepid water gently
pass over the leaves. Use many basins
of water for this and as far as you can
protect them; don't let cold draught strike
through their foliage.
sudden chill often blasts an otherwise
hearty plant. and just as important is IL
to protect them from superfuous dust.
When cleaning day comes around throw big
bags of old muslin dimity over the green
things. and as plants are usually kept In
deep window, be sure at night to draw
down the shades and over the portieres,
when the gas is lighted.
The portieres should be OF some heavy.
dark stun TO keep out the llgnt, neat and
possibly tobacco smoke Before leaving
the room for the night one window, as dis
tant as possible from that in which the
plants sit, ought to be pulled down at the
top to let in fresh air, while the closed
curtains will still keep them warm enough.
Then not until she has made her fire,
cleaned the CRATE and done her busting for
the day, should the maid push back the
portieres and pull up the window shades,
Under such circumstances the following
plants will gaiy flourish in a sitting or
dining room, or bed room, where every day
plenty Of heat is supplied during the winter:
There is the Fan palm and its dwarf mate,
called C. Lumilis. The Seaforthia elegans
with handsome fern-lil.e leaves, Australian
cabbage palm and familia Keutia Fosteriana,
silky Australian oak and Eucalyptus glob
illus. all worthy of cultivation in ones con-
servatory. all willing to flourish. il their
needs are considered and wonderful beau
tifers of ones home.
Another lovely hardy foliage plant is the
Centeurea ragusina, with silver frosted
leaves that serves on occasions to decorate
the center of the table. but the list really
is almost endless, though those given above
are enough to fill embrasure and answer
for green and refreshing decoration the
year through