Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-28
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HORTICULTURE.
Neu 10 Grow Palms Indoors and Have
TAsm Thrift-Filling the Flower Pots-
Some Meal for Carnations and Salt for Red
Spiders and SnaiIs.


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P. NJ. Cynwyd, says: Frequently the
questions have been asked me: Can
palms be grown satisfactorily in
doors?' Why do the tips of the pinnae
become brown and Which varieties
will be found to cope best with the dry
and heated atmosphere of our living
rooms?'
Seldom have these questions been
answered with any satisfaction, for the
simple reason that dealers, having &C
uuired all their knowledge of palms
while they breathed the moist atmos-
phere of well constructed greenhouses,
know nothing of the hardships which
must be undergone by plant life when
confiped within the dry and stagnant
air of city homes.
"You wish little palm, something
green about your home, when all the
world about you is apparently dead
Your florist has such healthy, bushy
little plants. every leaf is of clear
bright green color to its very tips; they
will make very fine specimens within
a short time he will tell you. You Sc
lect fine plant, pay your bill, and
tits we'll for the florist that you do not
leave the settlement until the first of
the year, and then proceed to question
him as to the best treatment to be fol-
lowed with your palm during the VIM
ter months. oh, you will not have
the slightest trouble; just keep it well
watered and as warm as possible. He
forgets or perhaps he does not realize
tknt iS No hnf NIn
little palm has changed it's home; sew
eral times each day it is literally wa
tered; the room is kept tightly closed
that the cold air from without may not
enter; never has palm received more
attention. Why, then, do the tips turn
brown and why are the leaves so long
in opening?
''There is but one cause for all this
change. Unlike the atmosphere of the
greenhouse, that of the home is eX
tremely dry. Now you will see that it
is very foolish to treat the roots in one
way while treating the crown in an
other. You have placed it in dry at
mosphere; therefore you must keep an
excess of water from the roots. Water
only when the surface of the soil be-
comes dry, and at such times spray the
leaves. Do not keep the room too
warm as the warmer the air of the
house the drier it will be also. In the
dollhouse palms will grow luxuriantly
in very high temperature with much
moisture, but just the opposite condi-
tons must be observed when grown
within the home. Occasionally loosen
the surface of the soil, which should be
mixture of sand, Joan and fine peat in
equal parts. This will allow the water
to penetrate more easily to the roots.
For sand, would use the bar rather
than the rock sand; for loan, the soil
Immediately beneath the sod of pas
ture land.
The peat may be had from any of
the large florists supply establish
nents.
Ia potting, give plenty of drainage,
the more if you are in the habit of US
ing saucers, which practice I should
not advise, as it is likely to sour the
lower roots. BY pot drainage is under
stood the placingof some open material
beneath the soil; for this material
1 would advise the use of broken pot
terry in preference to pebbles, as the
soil is not so likely to work down
through it.
IF saucers are used, half fill them
with coarse cinders, as the pot drain
age will avail nothing if the orifice in
the bottom of the pot is closed. l
would suggest the use of saucers in this
way if could depend upon the reader
not to allow the water to rise above
the cinders at any time.
Nov you will undoubtedly be
troubled with scale upon the stems and
leaves of your palm. The scale is an
insect, appearing sometimes of whit
ish color sometimes a dark reddish
brown, and again of an almost black
shade, bordered with white. They are
found as mere scale, and again in the
form of the upper shell of the turtle.
"All these, if allowed to remain upon
the plant, will absorb its nourishment,
yellow the leaves and finally kill the
plant.
THE surest way of removing them
with the least injury to the plant. will be
found by sponging with warm solution
OF lemon OIL This may be obtained in
pint tins from any of the supply stores
say with least injury to the plant for
the reason that many insecticides, If al
1oWcu 10 enter the SOL, VIII lIiJuIc tHt
plant, while this has proved to be an ex-
cellent fertilizer.
Place the plant where it will receive as
much light or sun as possible, as this is
necessary for the proper action of the re-
spratOry organs. 1t is the light falling
upon the upper surface of the leaf which
starts into action the microscopic organs
OF the under surface. sitting from the at
mosphere those properties essential to the
existence of life.
AS to varieties. the Areca lutescens is
the most rapid grower. and as the seed
terminates very readily it will be found
TO be the least expensive variety CT the
palm order
Several other varieties will perhaps be
found a little more hardy. but their
growth Is much slower; they are Kentia
belmoreana. Phoenix sylvestris. Latania
porDonica and the Chamaerops eXcelsa.
The same treatment will apply to all
tnese varieties. and if carefully followed
.ne reader will undoubtedly be able to
succeed in raising a perfect palm.
Mr.. II. Weber, the well-known carna-
.ion grower of Oakland. Md, tells his
prother growers, through the Florists
IAchange. thing or two about growing
carnations, in which there may be sug
sessions for those who have little houses
anu only plant or two.
re does not believe in frequent STRINGS
III .ne soil for carnations after they are