THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



207 



part of tlie autumn, water sliould be sufficiently withheld to enable 

 the plant to sink into dormancy. This condition must not be mis- 

 interpreted. Alocasias, although tuberous-rooted plants, must not 

 be completely dried down ; a few leaves should be retained on the 

 plant during the resting season in as healthy a state as possible. 

 These serve to enrich with nutritious matter the old parts of the 

 plant during winter, and also materially assist the starting the plant 

 in spring, for it is a well-known axiom in vegetable physiology, that 

 where these organs in a perfectly healthy state are exposed to light, 

 they decompose carbon, extricate oxygen, and cause an insensible 

 perspiration. The action of these combined forces causes a quicker 

 generation and growth of the roots ; beside which, the leaves are the 

 organs which perform the functions of exhaling gases and other 

 matters. They thereby throw oft' by perspiration any excess of 

 moisture which may generate in these succulent plants during 

 winter, and hence we may trace the chief cause of so many of this 

 genus falling victims to decay during this most critical period of 

 •their lives. 



THE CULTIYATIOjST 0¥ PALMS. 



J3Y GEOBGE GOEDON. 

 IN TWO PARTS. 



Paet II.— Shoet Desceiptiye List. 



AYIXG- thus far satisfactorily disposed of the cultural 

 treatment of these grand and extremely beautiful plants, 

 we must turn our attention to the selection of a few 

 of the best kinds ^ 



that are more 



especially deserving cultiva- 

 tion. Were I to name all 



that are really good and dis- 

 tinct, I should not only take 



up more space than I can 



reasonably hope to be spared, 



but I should confuse the 



readers, and make them think 



they would require a house 



as large as the Palm House 



at Kew, or a miniature 



Crystal Palace, to grow them 



in. I do not want to frighten 



my readers, but I do want 



to encourage them to take 



these plants in hand boldly, 



and thus add a large amount 



of grace and beauty to their collections where much monotony at 



present prevails. It is not necessary that they should have large 



and lofty houses ; for though many of the palms attain an immense 



AKECA BUEEA. 



