The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-23
L IN VOGUE.
Now Among the Favorite Decorations OF
Fashionable Houses.

Palms are to-day among the most fash
ionable household decorations. Their pop
ularity represents the growth, chiefly OF
the last ten years.
Thousands Of palms are purchased out
right in this part Of the country every year
a / an enormous outlay Of money, and thou
sands Of dollars are spent In hiring palms
and in having them carefully looked after.
Except on special occasions, Towering
plants are not much seen In the houses
Of the well-to-do, their place having been
taken by the palm.
As q rule, the first thing to greet the
eve on entering the hall. the drawing room.
the dining room OF a fashionable house,
Is a pal m, and the boudolr, sleeping rooms
and nursery even, are apt to contain bach
one or more handsome palms.
A main reas on, some people think, for
the vogue OF the palm Is that It Is perhaps
the most e1pensi We Of the family OF decora-
tive foliage pla nts. and has ~aristocratio
uncertainty Of constit ution which makes
the purchase Of one take on the alluring
phase Of a speculation. Palms, like some
people, said a dealer, have very uncer-
tain dispositions.
Another reason given for It's prestige Is
that nowhe re In this country can the for
eicn varieti ca be raised out OF doors, and the
largest and handsomest specimens must
be Imported from Madagascar, Asia, Africa
and Australia, thus ensuring to their own
ers the distinction Of having something out
Of the common.
Many varieties. though. are now propa-
eated very successfully In this country
under glass, and there are florists who do
nothing else. When the baby plant Is
about a foot high, 1t seems, these dealers
turn II over to others who make a specially
Of coaxing 1t on to sturdier growth and
getting il ready for the retail dealers.
In one extensive palm nursery for ex-
! annie. az many as one million infant palms
have been seen under glass at one time,
every one OF which, surviving the perils
OF a first year, is sure Of a good market.
There are not enough large palm In
New York to supply the ~demand,' re-
marked a Fifth avenue dealer. who makes a
| speciality of them, and we are only too
glad that 80 many OF our customers are
| wiling TO rent palms instead OF purchasing
sThe majority OF the large palms you zee
IN the swell houses are rented for the season.
| Eight to twelve Of them TO a house. This
means thai they are left solely In the florists
care,
Il send a man TO the house Of my custo-
| mcrs every day or so to water, wash and
look after the palms generally. and IL for
any reason a plant begins to droop II must
immediately be replaced with a fresh one,
when the houses Of my customers are
closed for the summer, the plants are taken
out and soon after they are Grated and sent
TO Newport for change OF air and scene
The palms In my establishment are pretty
Ia rd worked and never go out OF corn-
mission unless, indeed, when one gets dis
| abled through the carelessness Of a servant
Nv being frostbitten, or overheated from
standing too close TO a radiator. i have
| a good many palms In that condition stored
away, which for commercial purposes
| will be valueless for four or Ave years, or
until an entirely new growth OF leaves is
induced from the old root.
The kentia or umbrella PALM he went
on, In answer to a question. 'iS one OF the
most popular, most beautiful n most
expensive. That, for example," pointing
10 a stately beauty about siX feet high,
would sell for SIS. Other f~avortte house
vai are Latania. or fan palm, and
Pine nix"
The palm may be classed among the
luxuries,' declared a grower. Although
one Of the longest-lived oil. plants under
favorable conditions, IL is also one OF tho
most perishable when given over TO the
care Of a novice. Too much care is as
THE palm is fastidious, and perhaps It's
most imperative requirement is an even
temperature. To chill, or TO overhead IT,,
Is equally injurious and the warmth gem
Grated from burning gas Isl OF all artificial
heat. the least beneficial to palms. Then
palms only want water when they are
thirsty-a condition depending altogether
upon the atmosphere they are kept Inland
their leaves should be washed once week
or oftencr with a fine sponge
All intelligent women