260 THE FL02IST AND P03IOLOGIST. [November, 



of rockwork, — in each and all tliey flourish, look well, appear suitable, and are 

 sure to attract attention. They do not appear to be by any means particular as 

 to soil, as they are growing well at this place in some instances in almost pure 

 sand, and in others in a strong clay loam ; but where a compost is purposely made 

 for them, a mixture of the two, with leaf-mould added, would be most suitable. 

 I am not prepared to assert that it may not be best to provide for them a suitable 

 compost in many places, although here we never take the trouble to do so, as they 

 appear to accommodate themselves to any soil or situation. 



The Yuccas are very easily propagated by offshoots from the sides of the stems, 

 and may be increased to almost an indefinite extent by cutting the long stems 

 transversely through into pieces of from two to three inches long, and planting 

 these pieces like potato sets. This, however, is a slow process, and the propaga- 

 tion by offshoots is greatly to be preferred, as these generally make good plants 

 the second year. During high winds we sometimes have large side shoots blown 

 off with stems from 18 in. to 2 ft. long, and very large heads ; these I plant in a 

 suitable place just as they are, digging a hole deep enough to take the stem and 

 about three inches of the lower leaves, taking care in filling up to ram the earth 

 firmly all round the stems, which is thus rendered almost immovable, so that the 

 winds do not sway them about, which would prevent their rooting. The buried 

 leaves will decay, but in most instances the centre will start into growth after a 

 time, and in a very few years such shoots will form noble plants. 



I am here alluding to such sorts as Yucca recurvifolia and Yucca gloriosa, 

 which are grand and noble-looking objects when they are at their full growth. 

 Y. gloriosa will attain a height of eight feet, Y. recurvifolia about six feet, the 

 latter being the most graceful in habit. Some of the sorts, such as Y. glauces- 

 cens, and Y. flaccida, rarely form much of a stem, but throw out innumerable 

 offshoots from under the surface soil, and these generally flower much more 

 abundantly than the more robust growers. These dwarf sorts may be readily 

 increased by cutting off the suckers with a sharp spade ; they make good plants 

 at once, and often flower the next season. During the present year all the sorts 

 appear to have flowered very abundantly, and when seen from a distance, a tall 

 plant with a fine spike of flowers — altogether something like 12 ft. in height — is 

 a very striking and effective object. 



Redleaf. John Cox. 



NEW FLORISTS' FLOWERS. 



' HE approach of autumn is materially helping to thin the monthly record 

 of new flowers. At the meeting of the Floral Committee on October 5, a 

 First-Class Certificate was awarded to Mr. C. Turner, Slough, for Ivy- 

 leaved Pelargonium Compaction, a variegated form, with something of the 

 character of Duke of Edinburgh, but with a broader edging of white to the leaves, 

 and a more compact habit of growth. A similar award was made to the same 



