The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
The difficulty of keeping palms and rub
Der trees during summer has become a
source of much annoyance to many owners
of these plants. "They thrive we'll enough
during the winter" said the owner of sew
eral handsome specimens when compli-
mented on their beauty, but when the
summer comes L simply cannot keep them
alive So I make up my mind when 1 buy
them in the fail that they are only for the
season, and will never allow myself to be-
come attached to them" w. A. Manda
who exports and, grows from seeds thou
sands of these plants, when consulted
about the difficulty, said:
More plants are killed by kindness than
by neglect. In many instances fine palms
or rubber trees are lost by too much atten-
ton. The best way TO treat them in the
summer is to put them outdoors. In this
climate it may be done safely on about
May rs. A half shady spot should be Sc
lected, where they viii receive plenty of
light and air, but be protected from the di-
rect rays of the sun. In the case of palms
the pot should be either plunged in the
earth or set on the ground; and the soil
should be hilled UP around them. 1t is not
a good plan to set plant in the ground
unless it is very sickly. OF the two meth
DDS, I prefer killing the earth up around
the pot, because so often the shady spot in
a garden or lawn is not well drained, and
there is danger of the plants being injured
IL.
result in both instances is fotting of the
roots.
My treatment for palms during the sum-
mer would be to repot them before putting
them out, and the best soil is light, fib-
rous loan, which insures good drainage. A
piece of inverted crock, few small stones,
or some bits of charcoal should be placed
in the bottom of each pot for the same pur-
pose. The earth should be pressed firmly
around the plants with top dressing of
pulVerlzed sheep manure. In Milling up the
earth around the pots 1t is best to use a
large part of short manure or sawdust
mixed with earth
Many persons allow handsome plants to
starve for want Of water They water the
top earth and never think of the bottom,
whereas water should be poured on until it
runs out through the bottom of the jar.
Then, too, the leaves and stems should be
sprayed or sponged off with weak solu-
ton of ammonia and water about one drop
of ammonia to a quart of water This
should be done once or twice week, since
palms feed almost as much through their
leaves as with their roots. When you no.
tice the points of the leaves dying, they
have been kept too dry. When the plants
turn a sicllly yellow there has been too
much moiS Iure.
"A rubber tree is one of the easiest of all
plants to keep. In the summer it is best to
set it out in the ground in just such a To-
cahty as 1 have described as best suited
to palms. If it grows too tall cut off the
top of the stem. There is no necessity to
cover the wound 1t will lose little sap,
but not enough to injure 1t. In short
while you will have fine healthy boughs
from every eye on the main stem and your
tree will be much improved in appearance.
The plants should be lifted early enough to
become thoroughly established before cold
weather begins. Both rubberS and palms
should be taken in about Oct. l: In potting
rubber plants the same sort Of soil should
be used as for the palm.
You will find that plants cared for in
this way will continue healthy and vigorous
during the entire year with ordinary care.
They should never be fed in winter, as they
grow very little and have no call for food.
Never try such experiments on rubber trees
as applying castor oil to their roots, nor the
solution of IRON to palms. They cannot
possibly be a benefit and may prove
serious injury
Rubber trees are propagated quite east
ly. You make a deep cash in the. upper
part of a bough and thrust in a small bit of
moss to hold 1t open. Then wrap the place
with a handful of moss, which must be
kept we'll moistened. In a short while roots
will form all around the wound. When they
begin to come through the moss cut off the
branch and plant il, moss and all. in
pot The result will be a good. healthy
young rubber tree of your own raising