ae eee et ae 
T 
A. p. major (greater)* 
» low. ORD. Malvacee. 
_ Closely allied to Malva. Outer calyx six to nine-cleft, inner 
one five-cleft. Most species belonging to this genus are 
AN ENCYCLOPADJA 
OF HORTICULTURE. 
Alternanthera—continued._ 
some house or pit in the full light and warmth of the sun; 
for, unless so grown, green or badly coloured plants will be 
the result. The best and quickest way of producing this 
class of plants in large quantities, is to make up a special 
hotbed for them about the end of March or beginning of 
April. 
6in. of the glass with leaves and manure, or any other 
material that will produce a steady bottom heat of 80deg» 
or 85deg., and will last for three weeks or so at that 
point; which, at this season, will be an easy matter. 
When the heat has become regular and steady, about 4in. 
or in. of light, rich, sandy soil should be placed all over 
the surface, adding, ‘at the same time, a sprinkling of silver ` 
sand on the top, and pressing it moderately firm with a 
flat board. The cuttings may now be prepared and dibbled 
in, lin. apart each way. If kept close, moist, and shaded 
from bright sunshine, in a few days they will be forming 
_roots, and so soon as that takes place the shading 
be discontinued, and the ventilation gradually increased | 
until they are finally hardened off and planted out. If 
carefully lifted, and placed in trays or baskets, with a 
rhubarb leaf over them, they may be taken any distance, 
and planted without flagging ; ; with this advantage—that 
the plants being . in good colour, the beds are effective 
at once. April is early enough to commence striking them, 
and these will be fit to plant out by the middle of June. 
The several species quoted in various dictionaries hitherto 
are unknown in English gardens. + 
A. amabilis (1 cca table . elliptic, acuminate, greenish in some 
stages, with the principal ribs stained with red, but under free 
growth becoming almost entirely suffused with rose colour, mixed 
~ with ET the midribs continuing to be of a deep red hue. 
Brazil, 1 
A. a. amoœna (charming).* Z small, spathulate, orange red and 
purple in colour, which is shaded with deep green and bronze, 
Brazil, 1865. A most elegant little plant, with a spreading habit. 
A. a. tricolor (three-coloured).* J. broadly ovate, glabrous, dark | 
green at the edge, and have a centre of vivid rose, ‘traversed by 
seen gr rple veins, an irregular band of orange yellow intervening 
tween the centre margin. Brazil, 1 
A. Bettzichiana (Bettzich’s). 4, olive and red. Brazil, 1862, 
A. Pn thulata (spathulate-leaved), l. spathulate, but more 
tas the others; the principal colours are reddish pink 
oon light brown; these ‘are Shade with bronze and green. 
Brazil, 1865,» A rather tall species. ® * 
E ae (fig- like).* 4, variegated with green, rose, and red. 
A. paronychioides (Paronychia-like * l, narrow thulate, 
ground colour d orange red, SA ully shaded vith olive 
green, Dense com 
about 4in. high, pact grower, forming a little clump 
ficent).* A 
A p moguificn, m3 (magni )* very fine variety, witha much 
ry bronze, with rich orange tips ; "ia 
A. h 
which colour they retain all throu none t golden yellow, 
A. versicolor (various-colour).* peo ie sized, ovate, bright 
rosy pink and crimson, shaded with bro green, bran 
freely, and making a compact and handsome pase: gag Bese 
ALTERNATE. Placed on opposite sides. of an axis 
on a different line, as in alternate leaves. k iet 
p. m. aurea (greater- ought 
- 
medicinal qualities of some of the species). Marsh Mal- 
Hardy biennials or perennials, 
pines = of cultivation, particularly in woods, coppices, and 
3 they will thrive in almost any kind of soil. 
They may be either increased by dividing the plants at the 
reek or by seeds; the biennial species must be raised from 
totun ii ee year, which may be sown in spring where they are 
to remain, or in pans placed i in a cold frame, from 
which the young plants may be removed when large aoigh 
A. cannabina (Hemp-leaved).* fl. rose-coloured ; peduncles a3 
lary; many-flow 
bescent, we, onesies longer than the leaves. June. l pu- 
tely-parted, upper ones three-parted ; 
: 189i. Perennial and grossly t toothed. A. Aa a South Taie. 
If a pit be used, it should be filled up within- 
‘Se og . crenated. 
ALTHZEA (from altheo, to cure; in reference to the | 
alumina; as aluminous soils, 
Althzea—continued. : 
A. caribzea Saripesaue, ie fl. rose coloured, with EN ia 
solitary, almost sessile. March. J. cord late, roundish, eeej 
crenate-serrated, Stem stiga, — h. = Caribbee Islan Islands, 
1816. Biennial. . ney 
A. ficifolia (fig- aved). Antwerp Hollyhock. vA generally yellow 
or pranga = > in terminal: spikes, large, eg a double. 
June. beyond the middle into seven lobes ; td 
oblong, obei hepa, footed: h. Oft: Sibi; ibe, 
ennial, 
A. flexuosa (zigzag). * a scarlet, axillary, solitary, pte petals. 
obcordate, June. date, mewh at seven-lobed, o btuse, on 
long footstalks. „k. ‘ott a North India, 1803. Pere: 
A. frutex (shrubby). Synonymous with Hibiscus syri iacus. 
A. narbonensis (Narbonne).* 
S 
fl. pale red ; peduncles many- 
flowered, loose, longer than tlie leaves, August. pubescent, j 
lower ones five or seven-lobed, upper ones three- lobed. oft. to 
6ft. France, 1780. Perennial. af 
ATN + ‘ = # 
Tia. "h FLOWER OF ALTHÆA OFFICINALIS. 
A. officinalis (officinal). Common — Mallow. elic 
uniform blush colour; cles y many- mheinn much 
shorter than the leaves. July. l tioth with soft white tomen- 
tum on both surfices, cordate or ovate, toothed, undivided, or 
somewhat five- pisa h. 3ft. to 4ft. Marshes, Britain. Peren- 
nial. See Fig. 
A. rosea (rose)* The Hollyhock. (ft. rose-coloured, large, axil. 
lary, sessile, somewhat spiked at the top.* July.~ U. cordate, with 
five or seven angles, crenated, rough. Stem straight, hairy. h. 
T China, 1573. For special culture and varieties, see Holly- 
A. striata (streaked). fl. 
rt aiei — stri 
Stem pu 
fl. white, os oa in veirar solitary, on 
l. cordate, bluntly three- 
rulous, AEN somewhat scabrous, x 
"ALUMINOUS. Pertaining to, or containing alam, or 
UM ROOT. See Heuchera. 
ALYSSUM (from a, not, and lyssa, rage; in re 
to a fable that the plant allayed anger). Madwort. O 
Crucifere. Annuals or dwarf branching shrabby pe- 
rennial&, often clothed with hoary stellate hairs, Flowers 
small, crutiform, white or yellow.’ Leaves distant, or the 
radical ones tufted, usually entire. Several of the species 
are very much alike, They are excellent plants for the 
rockery, or for the front of borders, growing - freely in — 
common but well drained garden soil. They may be in- 
creased by cuttings, division of the roots, and by seed. 
The cuttings should be made from young shoots, 2in, or Sim. 
in length, inserted in sandy loam, » early i in _ m in 
