Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1906-12-08
FOR PLANT LOVERS.
CHARACTER AND HABITS CT
HOUSEHOLD ORNAMENTS.
Different Specimens Vary Greatly IN
Their Requiremcnts-NotA All Need
Sunlight to Attain Perfection OF
Growth-Csre Of Palms.

Growth-Care Of Palms.
Many do not think IL Is wise to
have plants in their living rooms dur
ing the winter. while others are care
less Of the wisdom OF IL. but would
not be happy unless they had green
and towering plants in one or more
rooms of their homes. To see the
pains housewives take to have plant,
in their homes, often under the most
adverse circumstances, leads one 90
believe that the love of nature and OF
the beautiful is deeply planted with
in the character Of most women.
If you are going to have plants,
Towering and otherwise, in your
home. it is of the utmost Importance
to know the character and habits OF
each plant, If you wish to cultivate
and have them flower successfully.
Some should be placed where they
get the direct rays of the sun ut mid
| day, while others, like salamanders,
will stand any amount of heat and do
I best at a south window. Few plants
will grow and bloom without sun
shine, but there are few which
make a lovely show even in the north
window All kinds of ferns love just
such situation; sweet violets VIII
grow among the ferns and bloom
freely, filling the room with their
sweet odor. The varieties of beeOn-
las which depend for their beauty on
failage rather than flowers do well
without sun. We have even seen be-
gonias covered with bloom and per-
feet masses of foliage which had
reached that state Of perfection with
out ray of sunshine.
For south windows geraniums. fuch-
sas, sweet alyssum, heliotropes, car
nations and oxtails will give perfect
satisfaction and mass OF bloom. They
can also be grown in an east or west
window, but geraniums particularly
will not do so well any place as in a
south window. Begonias, callas, fuch-
sias, feverfew, mignonette, all do well
where they get sun but part Of the
day.
Any of the following plants are to
be relied on either for bloom or foil
age, as stated. They are particularly
suited to the furnace-heated, dust
ladened air of our dwellings, and do
not need much attention:
The India rubber tree (ficus elias
tica) stands at the head of decorative
house plants which will stand hot,
dry atmosphere. A large, we'll grown
specimen will have leaves four or five
inches wide and nearly a foot long.
It does not drop its leaves easily,
some remaining on several years. The
leaves should be busted frequently.
The plant requires plenty OF light and
water, and makes a better growth II
supplied with plant food once a week.
Dracoena terminals is another very
ornamental, long-leaved plant. Like
the ficus, il will stand a dry atmos-
phere. It's leases are dark crimson,
marked lcngthwise with a lighter
pink. The plant needs reporting
spring and fall. During the winter
the leaves must be wiped off with a
damp sponge as often as the dust ac-
cumulates on them. 1t require; srme
sunshine and considerable water.
Another plant which will thrive in
the same situation is the screw pine
(pandamus javanacus). p. variegatus
IS particularly desirable. 1t has long,
narrow, dropping leaves, variegated
with lighter green, almost white. 1t
will do well with but little sunshine,
but needs plenty of light. 1t requires
but moderate quantity of water.
Most of the palm family are suited
for pot culture, and do well wh~n
given a place where they are secure
from freezing They will do with
little light, and for this reason are de-
sirable ornaments for the hall or the
stairway landing. They do not, how.
ever, object to sunshine, and are q
handsome addition to any collection
of plants. They should be kept In
rather small pot. They require a
peaty soil, mixed with sand, and plenty
OF wete-. Livistona chirensis is one
OF the most elegant varieties. but
latania bourbonica and the dwarf pal.
metto (sabal adamsoniD are also very
good.
Other ANIMALS we'll worthy of pot
culture are sweet alyssum, mignonette
and morning glories. The latter are
fine for hanging baskets and for pots
When grown in pot on trellis a
| foot high, they will show a perfect
mass of flowers. In the house the
! flowers remain out all day and are
| about half the usual size.