The morning times., 1896-11-13
ACTRESS TrRNFD DowN
HOUSE PLANTS.
now to Keep Them Fresh and Fine
All Winter Long,

very lew bousekecpers. naturally ambI.
tious TO beautify their rooms in winter with
iohase recognize that. like cats or dogs.
canaries or children, palms anc, ferns re.
qmre time for becoming naturalizel And
happy in their new homes.
A Tern or palm brought in the most
vigorous health from the florists preap-
house will often enough droop and pine
In genuine bomesickness, and. like Young
animals or birds. plants thrive most han
PLY In each others company 1t is. there
Tore, advisable to begin bit of a window
conservatory, not with one, but let us
say with three plants. The best selection
l S usually sturdy India rubber tree. fiscus
eiastcus is what the florists call IT: a
parlor palm, that is, an aspiiistra lurida,
and big pot OF Zebra plant, Eulalia ia
ponica 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
pottins only once n year. They will live.
too III Il 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 sehouse- -plantsissimply yneeligentCfthe
She moves them about too much, is not
always careful of their need of water, per-
mts the room they sit in to become 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 pooS
things die quickly and SO escape their
wretched existence. If you intend to keep
plants put them in window hat has double
sashes and where the greatest amount
ofsunshine strikes for thelongest time every
day. Rollthe shades high Ind drape til ecur-
tains back far. and only for the Iveliest
necessity move the pots. Every day. at as
nearly the same hour as you can manage,
water these household pets. They VIII be
grateful for the regularity, n nd unfailingly
once week give them a bath. That is,
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 a cold draught strike
through their foliage.
A sudden chil often blasts an other
wise hearty plant, and just as important
is 1T to protect them from superfluous
dust. Wien cleaning day comes around,
throw big bags of old muslin or dimity
over tue green things, and as plants are
usually kept in a 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 stuff to keep out the light, heat and
possibly tobacco smoke. Before leaving
tue room for the night one window, as
distant 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
dusting for tue day, should the maid push
back the portieres and pull up the window
shades.
Under such circumstances the follow
ing plants will gaily flourish in a sitting
or dining-room, or bedroom. 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-like leaves,
Australian cabbage palm and fanlilia Keu-
tia Fosteriana, silky Australian oak and
Eucalyptus gobulus, all worthy of culti-
walton in ones observatory, all willing to
flourish, if their needs are considered
and wonderful beautifiers of ones home.
Another. lovely hardy foliage plant is
tue Centaurea ragusina, with silvef-frosted
leaves that serves on occasions to decorate
tue center of the table, but the list really
is almost endless, though those given above,
are enough to fill an embrasure and answer
for green and refreshing decoration the year
through. EDITH SAUNDERS.