Evening star., 1936-11-07

the Massachusetts, Experiment
Station, should prove helpful
10 home gardeners who try to keep
q breath of gardening alive through
the Winter months by introducing
plants into the home:
Choosing the right house plant
container is most important in grow
Ing and keeping a satisfactory house
plant. The tin can plant container SO
frequently seen in the slums of the
city or the backwoods homes in the
country Is really scientific flower pot.
Not only does it conserve the soil
moisture, but it also allows an even
distribution of moisture and nutrients.
Today we are able to substitute for
the tin can flower pots made of orna-
mental glass, copper, brass, paper,
chrome metal and even metal that is
silver plated. Designs and shapes can
be found to meet the ever changing
modes of room furnishing.
However we'll We may choose our
plant container. we must also bear in
mind that proper use of it is equally
important. One type of plant con-
tainer will give as good results as
another II used properly.
Clay Pots Bad.
The ordinary clay flower pot is
used in the average home on a dry
surface, an abuse that challenges the
life of the plant The movement of
water through the wall of the pot and
Its consequent evaporation into the air
favors development of the root sys-
tenn between the pot wall and the soil.
Keeping the clay pot on a dry surface
involves the grave risk that not only
will the pot become dry, but so will
the roots. Thus begins the gradual
decline of the house plant.
Plants in clay flower pots develop
root system between the soil and&he
pot with very few roots in the soil
mass. Plants in impervious pots have
root systems that ramify through the
soil mass A non-porous pot prevents
lateral movement of water or nutrients
The best reason for a drainage
hole in a flower pot is that its pres
ence may save an argument. If mod
crate attention is paid to watering
there is no need to get the soil over
wet. Where drainage holes are pres
ent it is necessary to have saucer
and watering must be done with
PRAYER that the saucer will not be
flooded With the absence of drain
age holes saucers may be avoided and
also much muss.
The successful culture Of house
plants is very decidedly tied up with
soil moisture. 1t is recommended,
therefore, that either plant containers
or cultural practices be adopted that
will conserve the soil moisture. The
nom porous container is the easier
solution of the problem and, in addi-
ton, it offers more pleasing COM
bination of thrifty plant and orna-
mental container.
Roses.
ITO THE older and more conserva-
tive gardeners it is a pleasure to
gee some of the old, standard varieties
Of roses, such as Red Radiance, Lady
Ashtown, Betty Uprichard, Madame
Butterfly, Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria
and Duchess of Wellington. still listed
BY the leading rose nurserymen as
valuable varieties. Roses are undoubt-
edly improving along with other kinds
of flowers, but it is not every year
that variety with the vigorous attri-
butes of the two Radiances is pro-
ducedf Each year the home gardener
should try new plant or two, but
as in the fruit and vegetable garden,
should place his reliance on proven
varieties.
w. H. Youngman of the Potomac
Rose Society, believes that there Is a
marked difference between plants of
single variety in the capacity to
bloom freely and grow vigorously even
though the plants are all on the same
kind of roots. Possibly this is so,
but there is no question that roots
play big part in the success of roses.
We have for reference the Depart
ment of Agriculture's experiments at
Arlington Farm some years ago, In
which 1t was found beyond doubt that
some OF the vigorous rose stocks were
much better than others or own roots
both in producing more flowers and
stronger growth. A budded rose plant
Is essentially two separate plants
working together harmoniously or in
harmoniously as the case may be.
Some Of the disappointments in the
rose garden are due to the latter. 1t
Is suggested that trial of one plant
Of one kind is not conclusive and that
II one admires certain rose variety
he try more than once. Sometimes
1t seems that If rose plant is weak