The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-15
PLANTS FOR INDOOR BLOOMS
CONSERVATIVE GARDENERS LIST DESIRABLE PLANTS TO
USE IN OUR WARM, GAsLIT HOUSES THAT ARE
ENEMIES OF TENDER PLANT LIFE.

Until the killing frosts Of a week ago.
most Of the careful amateur gardeners
had considerable variety Of late hardy
blossoming plants that yielded fair har-
vest of bright blossoms. With the pass
ing of outdoor flowers and plants, the
question of house plants becomes one of
moment. The truly provident with some
facilities for giving plants adequate treat
ment probably have their window gar
dens we'll stocked with homegrown plants
that have been treated in the garden dur
ing the summer for transplanting or have
been grown specially for winter blooming.
Unfortunately many are not so situated
rs to be beforehand with plants and can
not grow their own from seeds or cut
EngS, for they have neither room for such
operations nor the necessary conditions.
They obliged to content themselves
with the readymade in plants as we'll as
in clothing. q
Even the moderate degree of f1oricultu-
1al knowledge needed to make a success
of a fair variety of rugged house plants is
possessed by few and the majority must
content themselves with the limited vari-
city of plants requiring nothing but plenty
Of light and regular watering in the at
mosphere Of a well-ventilated living groom.
ANY directions more complicated than
these hopelessly confuse most Of those
whose love for plants and flowers con-
strains them to attempt to keep house
plants.
The advice Of experienced gardeners
varies widely, some believing that simple
processes they are able to manage SO
easily themselves ought to be winthin the
capabilities of ordinary intellects and av-
erage conditions. Others have no faith
in the intelligence of the public and are
pessimists about success in flower raising
without greenhouse conditions.
List OF Desirable Plants.
One of the skeptical gardeners whose
experience entities him to the highest de-
gree Of respect. gave me a very restricted
list as including about all that he could
recommend for house cultivation, where
gas and overheating of rooms must be
reckoned with. First was the Boston OF
sword fern This requires an abundance
Of light, preferably sunlight, but " not
necessarily. A strong north light will
keep a sword fern in fair condition. The
asparagus plumosa or asparagus fern, sc
much liked for fern dishes, requires rather
more sunlight for complete success. Rub.
Der plants, kentia and latania palms, pan
danus or screw pine. dracena. araucaris
and umbrella plants completed the list o.
foliage plants. For greenery, to thi:
may be added asparagus sprengelri. {
graceful, luxuriant, dropping vine. II
This list the araucaria will be more read
by recognized as the Christmas tree, be
ing, in fact, the NorfollS Island pine.
This conservative Judge puts in hi
Approved list of Towering plants, prim
roses and especially the primula obconica
q pure white variety sometimes shadin,
to lilac, producing snowy clusters on lons
ptems, cyclamens and begonia gloire d.
Lorraine, with brilliant pink flowers. Thes
phould blossom continuously from THU
time until spring. While a little mornin,
pun is very desirable for these, they SHOULD
hot have the warm midday sun and viii
thrive with a minimum amount. In re
gard to Towering bulbs he takes the viev
that amateurs will find the ordinary varie
ties Of daffodils, narcissus, hyacinths an,
Easter lilies satisfactory and easy to raise
II they have a cool cellar or room of low
even temperature in which to root them