ALSTE(EMERIA. 



12 



ALTH^A. 



even the Chickweed is now called 

 Stelldria media. One of the sections 

 of Caryoi>hyllacefe is, however, still 

 called Alsinese, and it includes those 

 plants which have the sepals of the 

 calyx distinct, while those that have 

 their sepals united into a tube be- 

 long to Sileneas. 



Alstrceme'rta. — Amaryllkld- 

 cece. — This is a genus of tuberous- 

 rooted plants, with beautiful flowers, 

 natives of South America, and capa- 

 ble of being grown to a high degree 

 of perfection in British gardens, in 

 the stove, greenhouse, or open air, 

 according to the species. The soil 

 which suits all the Alstrcemerias is 

 a mixture of sandy loam and leaf- 

 mould, or well-rotted dung. Of all 

 the stove species, A. Lifjfu, with 

 white and scarlet flowers, is the most 

 difficult to liower ; but by giving it 

 abundance of water during summer, 

 and a strong heat in December, it 

 will flower in February ; and one 

 plant will scent a whole house with 

 fragrance like that of Mignonette. 

 After flowering, the plants ought to 

 be allowed to rest for three months, 

 during which time very little water 

 ought to be given to them. After 

 this they should be repotted, and 

 encouraged to grow, by giving them 

 plenty of water, &c. A. ccluUs 

 Juss. , is another stove species, which 

 climbs to the height often or twelve 

 feet, and, like all other climbers, 

 thrives best when turned out into 

 the free soil. It may, however, be 

 grown in a pot, commencing witli 

 one of small size, and shifting it 

 several times, till it is at last put 

 into a pot of eight or nine inches in 

 diameter, when a frame of wire, 

 three or four feet high, may be 

 fixed to the pot, and the stems 

 trained over it. These species 

 will live and flower in a conser- 

 vatory, but not so freely as in 

 a stove. The treatment of the 



greenhouse species of Alstrcemeria 

 (which are very numerous) consists 

 in setting the plants to rest by with- 

 holding water after they have done 

 flowering, which is generally about 

 the end of July ; fresh potting them 

 about October or November, and 

 giving them plenty qf heat and water 

 during April and May, the time 

 when their growth is most rapid, 

 and when, from the brittleness of 

 their shoots, and the tenderness of 

 their leaves, they require to be shel- 

 tered or shaded from the sun and 

 wind. The climbing species, A. 

 acutifblia (L. et 0.); A. hirtella 

 (Kunth), and A. Salsilla (L.), suc- 

 ceed best, both in flowering and 

 ripening seeds, when planted in the 

 free soil of a conservatory, or in the 

 front of a stove or greeiihouse, close 

 under the wall, with protection 

 during severe weather. Several of 

 the species from Mexico, Chili, and 

 Peru, will live in the open air, in 

 similar situations ; and the greater 

 part of these will grow luxuriantly, 

 and in fine seasons will flower freely, 

 producing flowers of a much darker 

 colour than those v/hich have been 

 grown under glass ; and they will 

 even ripen seeds. Those species 

 which have been found to succeed 

 best in the open air are, A. pulcliella 

 (Sims), A. Pelegrina (L.), and A. 

 versicolor (K. et. P.) All the species 

 are readily increased by parting the 

 roots, or by seeds. 



Althj3^a. — Malvdcece. — The Hol- 

 lyhock. — Strong herbaceous plants, 

 natives of the middle and south of 

 Europe, and also of India and China, 

 of which one species, A. rdsea, the 

 common Hollyhock, is one of our 

 most splendid ornamental biennials. 

 It grows to the height of from five to 

 eight feet ; and there are varieties of 

 almost every colour, including white, 

 and purple so deep as to be almost 

 black. The flowers being large, and 



