158 HOUSE PLANTS 



size and shape of the leaves, but there is not 

 enough difference between them to pay 

 anyone but a botanist in growing a large col- 

 lection of them. The only exception to 

 this is the Queen Victoria century plant 

 (^Agave VictoricB-RegincB). The leaves of this 

 are short and thick — so thick that sometimes 

 they appear to be three-sided — with three 

 more or less well-defined edges, having 

 white filaments. The ends of the leaves 

 are blunt but tipped with a short black spine. 

 So closely together and so regularly are the 

 leaves set that they form a hemispherical 

 mass. Where the room is limited this is the 

 best one to grow. 



Give century plants a sandy soil and pot 

 them firmly. If they are planted outdoors 

 during the summer, be sure they are in 

 sufficiently large pots so that when taken up 

 in the fall they will not need repotting. 



THE ALOES 



Next to century plants I believe that the 

 aloes are the most interesting. Although 

 there are a large number of species, only a 

 few are in general cultivation, the most com- 

 mon of which is the Barbadoes aloe (^Aloe 



