76 



NAT. ORDER. LILIACEiE. 



plant has its name. The flowers grow in a loose head on the tojj of 

 the stalk, wliich is very thick, but seldom a foot liigh ; they are of a 

 fine red color l)elow, but of a pale green above. The flower would 

 indicate that it belonged to the preceding species, though it may ap- 

 pear diflercnt by its habits. 



Aloe marguritifcra. Pearl Aloe. This species is of humble 

 gi-owth ; tlie leaves come out on every side, without order, near the 

 gi-ound; they are thick triangular at their ends, and closely studded 

 with white protuberances ; wlience its name. There is also a vari- 

 ety of this, still smaller, which has been long preserved in gar- 

 dens in this country. The plant flowers in several seasons of t'.ie 

 year. 



Propagation and Culture. The propagation of these plants is 

 effected in different methods, according to their nature. As many of 

 the roots aflbrd plentiful supplies of suckers, or offsetts from their 

 roots, they may be easily raised in that way. And in those wiiich 

 do not possess this property, it may be often accomplished by taking 

 off some of the under leaves. Where ripe seeds can be procured, they 

 may also be raised in that method. 



But in order to the successful cultivation of tlie Aloe in this cli- 

 mate, it is necessary that it has a proper soil prep ired for it. This 

 should be constituted of about one-half of fresh, good, light mould, 

 which has a considerable proportion of decayed vegetable matter in 

 it, and one-fourth part of sea-sand, or the scraping of roads after they 

 are become dry and of a sandy nature, with an equiil quantity of ef- 

 fete lime : such as the sittings of lime rubbish. These substances 

 should be intimately incorporated together, by frequent turning over 

 with the spade ; and to render them perfectly mellow, and suitable 

 for the purpose, they should be suffered to remain in this state of 

 mixture for eight or twelve months before they are made use of. 



With this earthy compost some very small pots are to be filled 

 in a close manner. The suckers, offsets, or root-leaves, are then to be 

 planted out separately in these pots of earth, which should be slight- 



