HOUSE PLANTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1466, 14 June 1912, Page 9

HOUSE PLANTS.

HOW TO CAKE I'OR TEEM, 'I'fl. bo suicossfxil with house ■Slidiild- recjuhe. hii stupendous skill, . And' yet how often are the paliiis. and ferns which should be a special. pruio and pleasure anything' but satisfactory (says a wr-ilcr id a soutliorn exchange). House phinis, although they way fin rsre occasion's bis Killed by kiiuliiess, ivill not ipier'atc: many Torn). , .. An exception may, pCshap.s, be. scon in ■the aspidistra, jyiuch se.eriis ,pr.opf-jSlißbst .;\ga : ihs.t every inverse condition, including I g-'asv, dust, drought, ami over-watering, . S.o.mq of the most suitable liard-y/ear "plants for floo'iit culTmftv ni;c aspidistras, Imi'dy .p'ftl.iiis-,: <sspp.cin.lly,the' Kentia group, india-rubber plants (l-'icus ela.siiea), the eucalyptus tree, hardy cacti (which should be given hardly. any water), and ■ the hardiest among indoor ferns,_ which, o.ii the contrary, require a. good .deal of' . water... Piants That Will Thrive. : A .second selection, which sliou'd not ■ be subjected (o undue cold 01; to the tunics jpf- gas, would include flie -Norfolk T.dand pino (Aiu'.if.ria excclsa) .and other hardy :lithe conifers, Gvper.us alleinifolius- (Hio- : umbrella plant), (irevilica robnsta (a fern- : like 'plant of. particular .grace/ami. beauty), the. "explosive." artillery: plantv which; (lis-. ,'clia.rgcs, its- pol.lpw in. a? eland-liko volume when grown, in. a snnny. window; ■... '.Sciiiio. varieties *01" Dracaena or Cordylino will thrive excellently, the blue gum also, and such smaller foliaj'e subjects as ii.Ophipp'ogQn and vanegafed Antherjciims, often seen as edging plants on a coiiMivaiory sUgiiig. A loviif list of ferns call bo made for tlio : ill puss' room, including. •Pterises.jbr; : r.i.b.boii fe'riis\,, j\sple.iii.uni. biilbifenim';.whose ''tiny Inilbifefous growths can he removed and '.potted., up. to increase, the stock; , Af-pi-dinm faloa'tum-, common hart's tongue, hare's foot,. and ladder ferns. . ■ Tlio secret of success with room plants lies in studying their needs, ar.d isowlierois. this more seen than in that elusivesubject, tlio rcience of watering. -. ; . If doubt exists as to tiio need for watering n pot plant, riip tlfe pot sharply,. and ! judge by tho sound omitted, either'hollow or dull, whether th'.> soil, is saturated or; : relatively dry. Give a good s'oakingr'i'rom ['{Be topi, ivli'e.n jvitlivtepi(l wal:e.r.. '.. I.t iVbest not to stand plants, i'ii a .bath .. of. wiiter, unless for any reason th'eyHiaye : become exceedingly dry. If the pots are :. standing 'in snueers. these; should lis removed 'arid. ■ (l.ra.ih'cil: lifter 'watering,. -'oV : the moisture w.ill bego.me stagnant and sour. Cleaning: the Foliage-. Broad-leaved foliage, plants should 1» • iiently sponged from time to time, to remove dust, and those which possess fine-ly-eut i'oiiago should be watered with ' a fine-i'.*.' can or syi i need ' iind. stood out 111 the rain when a chance ofier?. The top-soil should .be gently 'stirred with a small wooden diblier before water- ■ ing, iind now is the time to add a weekly .pinch ..of fertiliser to such plants: as. like it, before watering is i10r.«.. . The present is a. most suitable opportunity to' rcrj:6t room plants, which" lire jus!: now breaking freely into new growth. !. Titm tlio plant out of its pot, detaching it by rapping the rjin 011 a table nr. pot-tins-bench, scrape away any sour old soil which' ciin- Jbo ■.dislodged' withbiit 'i'njjiviiig' the balls of roots,. ahd.'put'ih!.o : ti'clean'; dry pot (generally of a. slightly larger size) first draining this properly wlfli .'a. largo' crack pl'a:c.qd oyer tlip; hpl.Cj. and eome pieces to cover it. I'iil up round the sides with good, fresli loam, 1 nixed with. ,H little sand and a : snuill pfop'ortioii. of peat, if .for . ferns:. T{am the compost Hr'mly. down, to avoid : .lo:6sc .places, 'iisijvg a. woodeii, :pdtfi'n'g'.:siitk ior ail but very small pots. '. I.eav.e at least an inch of rim a! top of the pot. for watering. House plants should b<? liglith- watered ofier re-potting, and kept a. littlo wanne.v tliaii usual for . rt (lay or two.