Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-12-31
Palms Always
Ornamental

have seen berries that had been on
the plant for a whole year and were
there when the second crop was pro-
duced. The leaves are thick and re-
senble leather, They seem able to
withstand all the dust and neglect
which is the lot of most house plants
This plant can easily be grown from
year to year with very little trouble
On the other hand the peppers are
good only for a short season. They
may be purchased from the florists
now and kept in the house until the
fruit falls. The leaves are almost
sure to fall within a few days IL your
house is lighted by gas as all the
plants belonging to this family
(potato) are very impatient of gas;
but even without the leaves the little
peppers are attractive.
close relative is the Jerusalem
cherry. Like the pepper it drops its
leaves quickly where there is gas, but
the bright red fruit, borne in great
trusses, is pretty. The window gar
dener may get considerable amuse-
ment from growing some of these
plants from seed. All that is neces-
sary is to mash a ripe fruit, to sepa-
rate the seeds from the pulp, and
sow the former in a pot. When the
may be put out in other pots. and
on the approach of hot weather
planted out of doors. In the fall they
should be lifted again and put in
larger pots, or they may be grown all
summer in pots, being shifted about
from time to time until they get into
five or six-inch pots, which is the
best size for fruiting.
The Snowy Azaiea.
Azaleas are snowy plants. the bios
SONS of which may be enjoyed during
most OF the winter. The Indian aza-
lea is the commonest. and the one
best suited for house culture. 1t may
be bought from florist while in
bloom little later on, or at the
present time and put in the window
garden, where you can watch the
buds unfold. There is no reason why
azaleas once purchased should not
grow on from year to year, as they
are easily handled. When the flowers
wither. pick them off and as the plant
commences to make growth pinch II
back to a uniform length. When
summer comes plunge them outdoors
/ in coal ashes or in sphagnum moss.
turning the pots around once day.
so as to prevent the plants from
roofing into the ground through the
hole In the bottom of the pot. They
should be in a position which is shad
ed from the noon-day sun. In the
fall store in a light, cool place until
you are ready to force them again.
| There are Ghent and mollis aZaleas
which one may also buy, either in
| bulb or in flower, but 1t viii hardly
! pay the grower TO try to carry them
over from one year to the other. al
though. as most Of the varieties of
these two azaleas are hardy they
may be planted out in the spring. af-
| ter all danger of frost is past. They,
too, will do better If grown in a place
where they are shaded from the noon
| day sun.
The best yellow towering plant
which may be enjoyed during the
winter is genista (Cytisus Canarien-
sls), which has a close. compact head,
bearing numerous spikes Of small.
beautiful pea-shaped flowers. The
same treatment / have outlined for
the azaleas will serve very well for
| genista.
There are just coming into the mar
ket now the roots of the Astilbe Ja
ponica, usually called spirea by the
amateur. As soon as you can buy
these roots. They will probably need
five or six x-inch pots and q rich, we'll
drained soil They may be brought
into the heat at any time, and they
will bloom eight to ten weeks later
When through Towering the, plants
NAV be thrown away or, II you wish
to keep them growing in the house
until warm WEATHER comes, they may
be planted outdoors in a garden bor-
der. for the astilbe Is hardy.
| The Marguerite, or pansy daisy, is
another charming house-plant, and
there are some very pretty forms on
the market. Queen Alexandra is one
especially worthy OF notice, but nearly
all florists carry some form. This
is one of the plants which is prac-
tically worthless after 1t has finished
towering. so when spring comes and
the Towering season Is past, throw it
away, for another can be bought next
| fall more cheaply than the cost of
carrying the old plant over.
| OF all the plants which one may
grow in the window garden. believe
the besenia u eRA af the very best