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Show House Plants For Interior Decoration Decor-ation By Emll Hansen, Florist, Utah Agricultural ,- j fUtg The main thine In the soloctlon ot plants auitablo tor houeo plants and plants for decorative purposes la to select those that will bring good results. re-sults. Tho following are a tow of tho most valuable palms and other decorative plants which will, with a llttlo caro, produce tho best results: re-sults: Palms Phoenix Canadensis, Kcntla Bel-morlana, Bel-morlana, Corypha Australia and Are ca I.utcsccns. Theso aro tho most hardy palms nnd becauso of tholr ol gant growth aro worthy of much uso for Interior decorations. Other varieties, vari-eties, such as Lathnla Uorbonlca nnd Cocos Palm, may glvo satisfaction ns house plants, but will roquiro closer attention. Other Decorative Plants Pandanus is a plant very seldom seen In this locality, but as a house plant can bo mentioned as ono of tbo best on account ot Its hardiness. It a very well adapted to culture In tho living room. Aseedlstra, Arau-carta Arau-carta Exolsa (Island Pino), Flcus Klastlca (Rubber Plant), Cyperus Al-ternlfolla Al-ternlfolla (Umbrella Plant), Dracena Indovlsa nnd Grovlllla Hobusta aro all varieties of plants for Interior decoration. If given propor attention and If they ore not exposed to frost, they are very easily kept In good condition. Ferns Nephrolcols Exeltata, well known ns Boston Pern, Is ono ot tho most hnrdy of tbo fern varieties. If so do sired, this plant may bo used as a hanging "plant. If a largo specimen of a hanging plant Is desired, It can bo obtained by planting three of theso plants In ono flowor pot or wlro basket. If tbo latter Is used, It should bo lined with moss before putting in tho soil. Nopbrolopls Eleganlssenla Is very much like tho Boston Fern and can bo used for tho same purpose. The leavea are lino nnd feather Hko, but this plant does not prove to bo so hardy for a house plant aa does the Uoston Fern. Cytoniam (Holly Fern), Pterls Wil-sonl Wil-sonl (CreBted Fern), and Aspedlum aro a fow of the many good vnrletles ot ferns that aro not seen In many homes although tboy aro very desir-ablo desir-ablo houso plants. They are nil particularly par-ticularly well adapted for fern dlslies and ternaries. Adlanthum (Maiden Hair Fern) Is a very pretty plant, but, on account of tbo damp nlr and continually high tempcraturo they require, few have succeeded in kcoplng them In good condition. Besides tho abovo mentioned torn varieties thero Is a plant well worth having, called Asparagus Plumosus, commonly known as Asparagus Fern. This, however, Is not tbo correct name for It as it Is not related to the ferns whatsoever. This plant Is not very attractive on account ot us delicate foltago. Thoro Is no bolter plant for tnblo decoration. An or-dlnary or-dlnary sized plant with a tow flowors thrust in botween tho leaves maVes a combination superior to any table decorations mado by a professional florist. Asparagus Sprlnguri Is ono ot our best hanging Plants, nnd with proper prop-er enro can reach considerable slzo. Proper Temperature Tbo tomperaturo In a living room cannot bo kept ns oven ns in n conservatory. con-servatory. Tho main object should ' bo to prevent tho temperature from 'changing too much. Good results I may bo obtained If it can bo kept at about 00 degrees In tho day tlmo ami not below 45 degrees at night. A higher degree of heat Is not good for tbo plants during tho winter tlmo inasmuch in-asmuch as tho air In tho living room la dry, wbllo In a conservatory it I can bo kept damp, ond consequently tho temperaturo can bo raised. Scientific Watering Woterlng of houso plonts during tho winter tlmo should bo sparing, but as tho days become llghtor tho plants will consumo moro water. At all times tho plants should havo suf flclont drain, however. When watering water-ing supply tho plants with as much wntor ns Is sufficient to ponotrato through all tho soil In tho pot. When water begins to como out through tho drain in tho bottom of tho pot this penetration Is said to tnko place. No moro water should bo given tho plnnts until tho soil Is dried out pretty pret-ty well again Where pots In Jardinieres Jardi-nieres nro used special caro should, bo exorcised not to havo them too wot. Many mnko tho mistake of wn tcrlng "llttlo but often" and tboroby cause tho upper part of tho soil to remain wet, and thus prevent tbo nlr from penetrating. This causes part of tho soil to bocomo sour and very llttlo water gets to tbo roots at tbo bottom of tbo plant. It Is a very Important thing that houso plants bo sprinkled on the leaves with clean water at least onco a week. Repotting As tho pots become full of roots tho plants should bo repotted. In doing this care should be taken not to uso too large pots, ono number TWO HOUSE PLANTS .... larger than tho former pot Is the best. In general u very good soil mixture Is 113 follows: Screened loam 2 parts Manure (well rotted) 1 part Sand 1 Part If wood ashes are available It Is well to sprlnklo u llttlo of Jl -in tho soil when repotting. Caro siiould bo taken .however, not to use too much of tbo same. Plant Food It a plant turus brown at the tlpa of tho leares, one of tho following Is evident: 1. Over wutorlng. 2. Worms on tbo roots, 3. Lack of plant food. As a general thing, tho first ot those may bo taken as the trouble To destroy tbo worms on tho roots dissolvo a piece ot quick lime, tbo slzo of an ordinary cup, In threo gallons gal-lons of water and soak tbo soil with It. For plant food, stir small quantities quan-tities of bono mean or wood ashes Into tbo surfaco of tbo soil In the pot, or occasionally water tho plants with manure water. Howovor, this latter should not- bo applied to a newly new-ly repotted plant. Beforo using, the loots should havo started to develop against tbo lnsldo ot tho pot. |
