TO THE FLOWEK GARDEN 27 



glasses, and well drained. There are about thirty species, 

 all ornamental in the wild state. 



ASPERULA. WooDROoF. [Rubiaceae.] Hardy joeren- 

 nials, very pretty for mixed borders. A. odorata has the 

 fragrance of newly-mown grass. Cool moist soil. Increased 

 by division. 



ASPHODELUS. Asphodel. [Liliaceoe.] Ornamental 

 hardy perennials. Common soil. Increased by division. 

 A. albus, white. A. luteus, yellow. A. ramosiis, white. 



ASPIDIUM. Shield Fern. [Polypodiacese.] Elegant 

 ferns. Turfy peat soil. Propagated by division. (See also 

 Lastrea, Cystopteris, and Poltstichum.) They require, 

 like most exotic ferns, a very damp, close atmosphere. A. 

 heracleifolium, stove fern, is generally grown. 



ASPLENIUM. Spleenwort. [Polypodiaceae.] Elegant 

 evergreen ferns. Soil, turfy peat. Propagated most readily 

 by division. There are many tropical kinds in cultivation. 

 (See also Athyrium.) The favourites are A. adiantum nigrum, 

 hardy ; A. hulbiferum, greenhouse ; A. diver sifolium, green- 

 house ; A. ebeneiim, hardy ; A. fontanum, hardy ; A. lanceo- 

 latum, half hardy ; A. marimim, half hardy ; A. trichomanes, 

 hardy. 



ASTELMA. [Compositse.] Greenhouse shrubs, with " ever- 

 lasting " flowers. They require sandy peat soil, smallish pots, a 

 dryish atmosphere, and very careful watering. Increased by 

 seeds, sown as soon as ripe in sandy peat, the young plants 

 pricked out when large enough, and very carefully watered. 

 A. eximium, crimson ; A. frograns, pink ; A. imhricatum, 

 white ; and A. sjjeciosissinmm, white. All pretty. 



ASTER. Starwort. [Compositae.] Hardy perennials, 

 with composite flowers. Common garden soil. Propagated 

 by division. A very large family, of which we enumerate a 

 veiy small selection. (See also Callistephus and Felicia.) 

 A. alphius, A. amellus, A. Bessarahicus, A. Cabidicus, blue, 

 A. Nov(B-Angli(B and A. pulcherrimus, purple. 



ASTEROCEPHALUS. [Dipsacete.] Hardy annuals and 

 perennials, including the well-known Sweet Scabious, or 

 Blackamoor's Beauty. The seeds of this are sown in the 

 flower-borders in March, and merely thinned- out when the 

 plants come up. The perennial species are of easy culture 



