New-York tribune., 1902-01-05
AMATEURS A PALM ROOM
HOW PLANTS GROW LUxURIOUsLY WITH
UNORTHODOx TREATMENT

"A PAIN room stocked with her own pets who owe
Ier thrft to her care. is the pride of Mrs Arthur
rlckeu' OF Brooklyn. Her children are
grown, and in place Of clubs and other fods Mrs
Of plants.
mere are many varieties in her palm room which
nave oeen given her with the remark You can
nave this but 1t will not live long. Only skilled
gardener with well equipped greenhouse can make
t'.eSe pants grow But the plants rarely dinin-
lSh IN health after admission to Mrs Fickett's
PAIN room On the contrary. they often show
greater luxuriance
lhe largest palm owned by her is A Kentia
Dig sturdy specimen which would do credit TO
horist. There is a cocus a cycus a paudanus big
po's oil Nile grass, an aspedistra. a giant Boston
fern, sansevaria. and any number Of others all
sFouped together in pretty den which opens from
the dining room. The ceiling and corners Of the
apartment are decorated in Japanese style
IF you want know how a woman cares for
her garden. do not ask the florist" said Mrs
Pickett to a Tribune reporter Although l have
rev failures, my gardening methods do violence
TO all accepted rules. Fer instance 1 do not keep
my mouse at a regular temperature. The heat
varies from 45 degrees to SO degrees according TO
'he needs OF the family but there is never any
coal gas. l guard against it by Keeping the water
oasln II the furnace filed all times. and never
allowing 1t TO become dry. This is where many
people fan. th= furnace man OF servant negiecrina
10 attend to il as he should"
MRS Pickett pointed 10 a big open fireplace in
le ulnlng room and said that her rooms are never
without some such ventilation. II there is q fire
board before the chimney 1t is left partly open.
In the Talm room basin of water is kept on the
register 10 furnish moisture TO the air
In the matter of washing her plants Mrs. Fickett
is uno:thodox. She does not believe in too fire.
Guent baths for them Every two or three weeks
carefully.
As TO watering, she has no rule When the soil
LOOKS dry, water is given, whether Il is every day
or every week.
The Iabits ana characteristics Of each plant are
Watched, ana as a preference or aversion is shown
II Is regarded IN the future treatment For IN
stdNc'. Mrs. Pickett found that IL the paDdaDus
was Wattfed so that moisture left i'm the angles
formed by The leaves and stalk. the leaves
ana dropped of. For this the water for the
pthd2IllIs Is always turned to the soil from the
etSe OF the pot so that II runs directly the
roots, and cannot settle the foliage.
uounteuy thls Watchful care Of the plants that in
SuFes Tor their owner sICh vigorous growth.
TOO much pettlng is bad for plants az for
animals said Mrs. Pickett. II handle mine and
tend them only enough to provide for their COM
fort and health. Some plants need less care than
others There is the aspedystra. for instance. ANY
one can grow that 1t is especially tenacious OF
life and viii thrive with very little care 1t cannot
have too much water, but II water is lacking Il
will not die. The sansevaria will live with little
light. and seems 10 be Indifferent as to whether It
IS watered regularly not"
Ferns. Mrs. Fickett mas found. will stand any
amount OF water II they have the winter sunlight