June 17, 1875. 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



47.5 



carefully done. The wounds are dressed with lime. If any 

 fanciers have scarce sorts which they wish to become more 

 plentiful they had better send them to Lnxford, for these plants 

 are very tractable in Mr. Douglas's hands. Our notes are con- 

 cluded by thanking Mr. Douglas for his courtesy and attention. 



DKAC.ENAS. 



Very unlike the usual ornamental-foliaged plants we find 

 in our stoves is the example now figured. The engraving re- 

 presents a matured specimen — a tree, while those usually grown 

 as decorative plants are more or leas succulent, like other 

 yonng trees, and are fur- 

 nished with beautiful 

 arched fohage to the sur- 

 face of the pot. As the 

 plants attain age the 

 lower leaves mature and 

 drop off, and the stem 

 assumes its ligneous cha- 

 racter. Yet by high culture 

 and skilful treatment the 

 foliage is retained until 

 the plants attain a height 

 of several feet, increasing 

 in size with the plant, 

 and also improving in co- 

 lour. The system adopted 

 is to preserve the plant in 

 a succulent state as long 

 as possible, by prevent- 

 ing woody layers being 

 formed, or, at any rate, 

 consolidated. Such plants 

 are very beautiful, as the 

 examples which have this 

 year been exhibited by 

 Mr. Bull and Mr. Wills 

 sufficiently testify. 



The fresh and bright 

 plants we usually see do 

 not at all suggest the size 

 and aspect they attain 

 in their native habitats. 

 Dracffina draco, for in- 

 stance, of which we grow 

 attractive plants varying 

 from 1 to 6 feet in height, 

 is frequently found grow- 

 ing 30 to 40 feet in 

 height ; and it is on re- 

 cord that a specimen in 

 the Canaries is 75 feet 

 high, and 45 feet in cir- 

 cumference at the base. 

 Although for general pur- 

 poses young highly-co- 

 loured plants are the most 

 serviceable for indoor de- 

 coration, older specimens 

 which have approached 

 the tree state have a dis- 

 tinct and imposing effect 

 when agreeably disposed 

 in suitable structures. Most of them require heat, especially 

 those having variegated foliage, yet even these when approach- 

 ing a state of — shall we say treedom ? — are highly ornamental 

 both in a glass structure and for occasional effect on the stair- 

 case or corridor. 



But there are the hardier green-foliaged kinds which are 

 valuable for conservatory effect, and for associating with 

 flowering plants to form attractive groups for any decorative 

 purpose. Some of these add a diversified feature to the sub- 

 tropical garden in summer, and all are worthy of cultivation 

 wherever conveniance is afforded for this class of plants. 

 Some which are adapted for cool treatment are D. (Gordyline) 

 indivisa, D. lineata, D. australis, D. cann.x'folia, &e. The 

 beauty of these increases with age, and they afford an agreeable 

 relief to collections of flowering plants, toning-down their 

 colours and breaking-np their smoothness of surface. 



Of the tropical and richly-coloured Draca?nas we have a list 

 which for intrinsic beauty with variety are unsurpassed by any 



other genua of stove plants. They are not frequently grown 

 to a flowering state, the practice being to cut-down old and 

 propagate young plants, as better fulfilling the purpose for 

 which they are required ; yet we have repeatedly seen the old 

 species, as D. draco, D. terminalis, Ac, in a flowering state, 

 but they are more interesting than ornamental. T>. Smithii, 

 figured in the " Botanical Magazine " as having flowered at 

 Kew and Sion House, has, however, double yellow flowers of 

 undoubted beauty. 



It is a little surprising, considering the time many of the 

 species have been introduced, that more English hybrids have 

 not been raised. The Messrs. Veiteh have, however, led the 



way with a variety of 

 great merit, a cross be- 

 tween D. magnifica and 

 D. albicans. D. hybrida 

 is a beautiful decorative 

 plant, its deep rose and 

 creamy white variegation 

 beicg very telling. Hy- 

 brids are also raised by 

 other firms, and there is 

 no fear of experiencing a 

 lack of novelties in this 

 family of plants. 



It is extremely difficult 

 to make a choice of a few 

 from the long list of 

 beautiful Dracaenas now 

 oli'ered. But notwith- 

 standing the richness of 

 the recent introductions, 

 the old D. terminalis and 

 D. C'ooperi are still useful 

 as ever. They are, how- 

 ever, less imposing than 

 such kinds as Shepherd! , 

 Youngii, Fraseri, regina, 

 triumphans, splendens, 

 imperialis, Hendersonii, 

 Baptistii, and others 

 equally fine, especially 

 some of the latest intro- 

 ductions, which show 

 their markings when in 

 quite a small state. One 

 of the most distinct of 

 all, however, is D. Goldie- 

 ana. It is quite unlike 

 any other either in shape 

 of leaf or colouring. In 

 the generaUty of Dra- 

 casnas the leaves are ensi- 

 form or lanceolate, and 

 the variegation is longi- 

 tudinal ; in D. Goldieana 

 the foUage is cordate, has 

 a dark green ground, with 

 regular diagonal bars of 

 silver-grey. This should 

 be grown in all collec- 

 tions. 



The Dracaenas are not 

 only handsome plants, 

 but they are of easy culture, high stove heat, copious supplies 

 of water, and rich but open soil being the essential require- 

 ments. They ore propagated by cuttings of the stems in- 

 serted in brisk heat, or by knobs which form on the roots 

 around the sides of the pots. The last mode is certain in its 

 results, and a stock is gradually increased without mutilating 

 a specimen. If the work is carefully done these root-knobs 

 mav be severed from the plant without doing it any harm. 



D. draco— Dragon's Tree, is so called from yielding a gum 

 resembling the substance known as dragon's blood, which is 

 extracted from the fruit of Calamus draco. D. terminalis is 

 to the Polynesians a plant of great importance. The root is 

 cooked and eaten by the natives, and also manufactured into 

 beer and spirit. The leaves supply fodder for cattle, and 

 afford coverings for roofs, and are also woven into cloaks by 

 the natives. Hedges are formed by sticking its truncheons in 

 the ground, where they readily take root and grow. In forrner 

 times its leaves were the native emblem for peace, and, with 



■Dragon tree iDiac.tna draco). 



