HANDBOOK 



THE FLOWER GAEDEN, 



ABELIA. [Caprifoliacese.] A pretty, cool greenhouse 

 and half-hardy deciduous shrub, with long tubular blossoms. 

 Requires a greenhouse. The hardy sorts survive our mode- 

 rate winters in dry, sheltered situations on rockwork. Soil, 

 sandy loam, mixed with an equal quantity of turfy peat. 

 Propagated by cuttings, planted in sandy soil ; the tender 

 ones in a gentle heat, the hardy ones under a hand-glass. 



ABIES. Spruce Fir. [Pinacese.] Hardy evergreen or 

 deciduous trees and shrubs, growing in common soil, and 

 increased by seeds and by grafting. A numerous family, but 

 A. KcBinpferi, A. Douglasii, A. Canadensis, A. excelsa Clan- 

 brasiliana, A. e. jnjgnKBa, are the best. 



ABRONIA. [Nyctaginaceae.] Pretty trailing plants, re- 

 quiring to be protected in a dry frame in winter. The 

 flowers are in heads like those of a Verbena. Soil, sandy 

 peat earth, intermixed with about a third part of decayed 

 vegetable soil. Propagated by cuttings, planted in sandy 

 soil, during the early part of the summer, or by seeds sown 

 in June. A. ijulckella and A. umhellata are generally culti- 

 vated. 



ABUTILON. [Malvaceae.] Stove and greenhouse shrubs, 

 with mallow-like flowers, mostly pretty. Soil, rough turfy 

 loam and leaf-mould, made sandy for the young plants. Pro- 

 pagated by seeds, or by cuttings in a mild heat. The species 

 are numerous, and make fine conservatory plants. A. venosmn 

 entirely supersedes A. striatum, the flowers being larger; and 

 A. pictwn fjrandiflorum is very much larger than venosum. 



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