habit of growth and
is best displayed where its numerous runners have a chance to hang
down, as from a basket or hanging pot. The runners are easily rooted in
soil. There are numerous varieties, with flowers of red, white and pink.

_Sensitive Plant_ (_Mimosa pudica_)--This is a pretty little
green-leaved plant, the never-failing interest in which lies not in its
beauty, however, but in the fact that it shrinks and folds up when
touched, as though it belonged to the animal kingdom. It is easily grown
from seed.

_Tradescantia_--This is otherwise known as spiderwort, Wandering Jew,
Creeping Charles and under other names. It is a very pretty running or
trailing plant, of the easiest culture, its chief requirement being
plenty of water. Cuttings root easily at any time. There are several
varieties, among them being _discolor_, a variegated leaf, and _Zebrina
multi-color_, the leaves of which give almost a rainbow effect in their
wonderful diversity and blending. For those familiar only with the old
green variety it will prove a great surprise.

[Illustration: _Pandanus Veitchii_, the Screw Pine. The soil for this
family should have a generous amount of sand]

[Illustration: The rubber plant (_Ficus elastica_), perhaps the most
popular of all formal decorative house plants]

_Zebra Plant_ (_Maranta zebrina_)--This is another easily grown
decorative plant with tropical looking, large leaves. While usually
listed as _Maranta zebrina_, it is really a calathea and the plants of
this genus show a variation in their markings unsurpassed by any.
Zebrina and most of the varieties, of which there are many, should be
grown in the shade, with plenty of water and a minimum temperature of
sixty degrees all the year. _C. pulchella_ and _C. intermedia_ resembles
_C. zebrina_ and can be grown in a cooler temperature. Do not allow the
plants to flower. Increase by division.

CHAPTER XI

VINES

A number of the vines make very excellent house plants, though one
seldom sees them. This seems rather strange when one takes into
consideration the facts that they are easily grown and can be used for
decorative effects impossible with any other plants.

If there is one particular caution to be given in regard to caring for
plants in the house, it is to _keep the foliage clean_. Naturally a vine
that runs up the window trim, and maybe halfway across the wall to a
picture frame, cannot well be sprinkled or syringed; but the leaves