DECORATIVE PLANTS IN LIVING ROOMS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10657, 10 July 1897, Page 5

DECORATIVE PLANTS IN LIVING ROOMS.

To crow plants in living rooms is not so difficult as most people imagine. Success depends, in the first place, upon a judicious selection, and then upon a reasonable amount of care and attention, Snnlight is desirable, bnt healthy growth is quite possible in rooms into which the snn never [shines. A simple rule is to wash or spray the plants at least once a week, keepiag the soil evenly moiat, and admitting freah air occasionally — that is, the moisture contained in outdoor air. But, above all, a good choice of plants is the first assurance of succeas. In living rooms are various disadvantages, as heat, dust, insects and lack of moisture, with which plants must contend, and for satisfactory results it is well to select those most likely to thrive under adverse circumstances. Beat among them all are suoh foliage plant? as the palms, rubber trees, dracaenaa and their allies, tbe aspidistra, ourculigo and the ferns. They do not bloom, but they make a beautiful mass of green, Into , which flowering plants oan be Introduced from time to time, and they may be depended upon month after month and year after yoar for a given reßult, while floweriug plants are satisfactory only during their brief period of effloresoence. It is well in planting a collection to let the foliage plants correspond to the grass and trees In summer out of doors, and then to introduce among them such plants as you have in bloom, The effect will be far more charming and effective than if you had an abundance of bloom and bnt little foliage. Occasionally out flowers oan be used to advantage, but potted plants are preferable and are muoh cheaper. Probably no olass of plants are more popular in decorating than palms. They add grace and beauty to any collection, and are always attractive, even when used singly or in groups by themselves. Many of them are easy to grow, but the fan palms and date palms are perhaps best for beainners. Both do well indoors , although the fan palm is most popular and widely known. Its leaves are very bright green and glossy m growth, and when prepared are familiar in the palmleaf fan of commerce. Young plants in five or six-inch pots aro good to start with, aud may be kept a long time, shifting into larger pots every year or two as they increase in size. A common mistake of amnteurß is to use too large a pot. Do not shift until the old one is full of roots. Tho Cony pha australis, Champoerops excels* and Champoerops fortunu ore all varieties of the fan palm and fie plants, and they easily resist the vicissitudes of life In dwelling houses. Date palma inolnde Phoenix reclimata and Phoenix rnpioolor. They are both worthy a high place In the collection, and make a pleasing contrast to the fan palms. Their leaves are very long and pinnate, or divided like a feather ; while the fan palms are palmate, from the resemblauoe of the form of the leaf to the hand. The aago palm, which is (roally not a palm but a cyoad, is an excellent house plant, onsily cared for and making a fine spread of graceful pinnate leaves. Small epcolmens look well on stands, whilo larger ones make a better appearanoe in tubs upon the floor. A little extra attention should be given these plants when the new leaves are pushing out, as at that time extreme dryness is apt to retard growth. Other palms whioh are popular with those who are willing to go to somewhat more expense aud trouble are Seaforthia elegans, Cocoa weddeliana, a variety of tho cocoanut palm, and Areoa rubra. To theso may be added a long Hat of other more expensive and delioate varieties as the grower becomes experienced in their management. But for the amateur, and, indeed, (or any ono who does not care to experiment with numerous varieties, the beautiful and inexpensive fan and date palms arp incomparably the best. Very pimilar to palms in general appearance, aad admirably adapted to house growing are the (Juiculjao rspacyata and Aspidistra lurida. T Q ey not only resemble palms, but should be tr-patpd jn about the' same way. They prow ultra vapidly, need a mlnimain of attention, ana av'e always eleganj; and graceful. Moreover, both those plants bloom in *be house when three or four years old, and when they are large enough to shift into seven or eight- inoh pots. £be flowers of the curoullgo are ouryed yellow s^ikof, whence the name reouryatt— just above the ground— and, while not showy. »*e very interesting. The aspidistra flowers just beneath the surfaoe of tbe soil, ijod though the blooms are not small, sod aira of s dall red or purple color, from whioh tho naaie lurida comes, it requires sharp eyos to discover them. Both plants bloom in Pobruary or March under ordinary treatment. Among the (losnryecHy popular plants for house culture noun tank higher than tho India-rubber tree, oc Ficu.n elasi.ioa. It is a native of the East Indie*, and ijas introduced into cultivation during tho yT2sent century. It is a fig, and occa'ioually or well grown plauta, can bo seen the curious little preen fruits, which seldom mature Its beauty conßißts in Its fino habit of growth, easy culture and in tho elegant appearance of its large, bright, gloasy, green leaves. Tho plant is very tough, and will sueceil In almost any situation in tho house ; and it can be grown as a single stem, well clothed with leaves from tho pot until it touches the ceiling, or oan haye the top removed and be made to grow as t branching plant. A window is the best situation, but it will grow in a corner pf the room, or in an ontry far sway from direct light. I have had plants which were perfect specimens of thrlftiness and beauty that never aaw direct sunlight from one yo jr'a end to another. However, for the best results, rubber trees should be kept on the piazzas in summer or plunged in the ground. This insures their being well watered. They are hard to kill, and shade or sunshine make little difference, but water in abundance they must have. Next to palms and rubber trees, the draoaenas and cordyllnos are moat popular for house growing. They have tufts of long, lily-like leaves on the top qi 6 stiff stem, whiph lengthens with age, andj while not quite as good as the palms and rubber treea, c aerye to make a pleaßant variety. The same pan be said of pentury plants, some varieties pf oaotus, snob foliagp plants as Greyillia robnsta, Pandanus utilis ot screw pine, Phormium tenax and many of the Dutch bulbs. Ferns succeed well .in the house, and gome varieties are very desirable. The sword fern is now common, and sometimes fine epec^ens are seen wit'n fronds, or leaves, a yatrd or more in length', dropping gracefully outward from the centre of the ' plant, ' Like India rabb^r trees, they do well In the Bbade, and tbi'ltty plants iuay be grown where dweot eananine neye)c pa.aht.ii. Tho maidenhair ferns are more difficult to manage than sword, but good speoilaeoa are not infrequently found In iotise oolle^tjiijnj. They need more osreful watering, and rjiust be kppt olear of indeots. Among yines the English ivy is beat for house growing. Ifc should be well established in a pot iv spring, and allowed to grow in tbe open air all summer, trained to a stake or over a trellis. Before cold weather comes, bring it into the house and train over a window or whatever desired. All the care neoded in plenty of water and an occasional clesm'ng. AmoDg other good vines, which, however, must have more light, are the German ivy, Maderia vino and nasturtiums. For plants whioh oombino both flowers and foliage we have those good old favorites of our grandmothers, the Daphne odora, Lav rustinw, Olea fragrans and oleander. The Indian azaleas are also good dowering house plants,

but they do not like warm close rooms. Place them in the attio, or in aomo cool, out-of-the-way place whioh the front novnr enterw. and thero leave them until January or February ; and then, when the flowers begin to show color, bring them into the parlor, whern, for a week or two, thoy will be a blaze of bemuty. As the flowers parish, carry the plants baok and exchange for othors. In this way azaleas may bo had In bloom moat of th* winter. Bogonias and oallas are both (lowering and foliage plants, and ciin bo kept all winter with a little extra onre iv watering. Primroseo, violotfl, frcoslas, ixlßs, alliuniH, fuschla?, mahernias and heliotropen may bo added to the Hut, so that at any timo in the winter tho fnliagu planta c;m he turned into a gay mass of bright bloom. But remember thrst house plants suffer more from a ;too-bigh than from a toolow temperature. No plants are likely to be grown in a house whioh would not thrive at sixty degrees Fahrenheit, and at a temperature fifteen dogrpeß nbovo freezing on the ooldeßt nights would probably not be injured by tho cold. Still it is not advisable, on a cold day in midwinter, to open wide a window in which planta are kept. Lift the sash an inch or two in the middle of tho day, or open another window; but avoid all dr&ugbta strong enough to stir the foliage. Never ventilate unless the temperature in that part of the room in which tbe plants are kept is well above forty-five degrees Fahrenheit.