Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-06-16
SUMMER CARE Of
THE HOUSE PLANTS
Should Be Grown in Open All
During Season-Set Some
in Borders.

1t takes a hardy plant to stand the
dry atmosphere, variations in tempera-
ture and lack of oXygei. Which almost
every house Pant has to struggle
against during ever the most favorable
winter in the house. When summer
comes, therefore, many q plant viii be
found to have been weak ened some
what by this difficult season, through
which it has cheered and lent beauty TO
the house. At the end Of the season
each plant should be inspected with a
careful eye and provision made for its
summer rest and reCuperation.
In every case where it is possible, the
house plant should be allowed to grow
in the open air during the warm
months. Cut flowers take their place
indoors so that they can be spared and
next season. They add d touch or
tropical beauty TO the grounds or
Ycranda. Except in the case Of the
largest palms and rubber plants il is
we'll to set the palm or fern which has
been Cramped into a pot for so long.
directly into the open soil. To do
this, the plant should be held firmly
inverted and turned out OF the pot. The
old, used up soil should be shaken out
blOul iilt lOOlS, anu IL 2lIOulu DE G'h
firmly In a hole made to receive IT.
Ferns should be set in a partly shaded
situation and given plenty Of water.
Palms and rubber plants can stand
more sun. Begonias do we'll set out in
the open border as do caCti and CEN
fury plants. Should the cheerful gera-
mum, be numbered among the house
plants, It may be bedded out or set
in the veranda boxes. Plants too large
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leaves and thrive set out in their usual
pots or tubs In favorable positions.
Every plant needs reporting or a new
supply OF soil Of some sort in the
spring, or once a ear. The nutritiye
elements of the soil must be renewed
from time TO time. For general use in
repotting good loan dug from the gar
den, mixed with well rotted barnyard
manure. will furnish the necessary ele-
ments for growth. If it is possible. go
into the woods and bring home a sup
ply Of rich. dark leaf mold from under
the trees. The TOtted leaves of which
it is made will make it rich in humus
and an ideal soil. The soil we'll mixed,
and stray earthworms carefully eX-
tracted, the plants may be turned out
and repotted in new soil. A crock may
be placed over the hole in the bottom
to insure good drainage, and the earth
packed so tightly that the whole may
be turned out and put back without
breaking the mold of earth. Three
quarters Of an inch should be left at
the top Of the pot for water.
1t is often desirable to reduce or
keep the size of the plant the same.
If so. the plant must be carefully cut
Two or three main stems should
be retained and the rest cut out with
a sharp knife. The largest roots should
at the same time be cut ont. The rest
should be approximately the same size
the top Of the plant, so that root
and branch must be cut to correspond.
From the shoots Topped off in the case
of geraniums, begoniaS and the like,
cuttings can be made and the supply
Of plants increased by this method.
The possibility OF growing valuable
plants from the stock already on hand
Is worth attention. There is no more
attractive present for a friend than
a we'll grown plant and old plants die
and need their places filed. TO make
a green or q hardwood cutting a
healthy bit should be chosen. Then,
with a sharp knife, a clean cut should
be made close below a node. that is, be-
one of the small ridged places
divide the stem off into sections.
Begonias will root from cuttings made
of one leaf or a section of it. The cut
llllS Sliould DC pldilSu III SiIIdit paris
In a soil mixed of sand with a little
loan, with a layer of sand at the top
and OF peat at the bottom of the pot.
Five inches is a good length for a cut
ting. The leaves should be cut small to
Transportation. After q few weeks
which the cuttings will have
rooted, they should be shifted into
pots. with stronger soil.
Ferns can not be grown from cut
tings, but by simply dividing the root
and plant. two ferns car be grown from
one. Palms, rubber plants and cacti
can not be pre- lated outside the
greenhouse. but by beginning with
small, cheap plants, large and expen-
sive ones can be developed.
Often at the end of the season rubber
plants will have lost the leaves from
the lower part, and with only a tuft
OF leaves at the end, present a forlorn
and scraggy appearance. A leggy rub
plant can be cured by making, at
2 suitable distance from the leaves, 10
a symmetrical plant, q sharp cut
the stem at the place where the cut is
should be bound a damp sphagum
At the end of a few weeks the
plant will have sent out roots from
the cut place. Then the top of the
plant should be completely severed
from the old stock n potted. The
will be two rubber plants from
one unsightly one. for the old plant
this treatment is likely TO put
out now leaves