ARENARIA. 



24 



Arctosta'phtlos. — Ericacece. — 

 The Bearberry. — A Mexican ever- 

 green shrub, -vs-itb arbutus-like flovr- 

 ers. It is very difficult to cultivate, 

 i as it ■vrill soiuetinies die off suddenly 

 j in hot weather after a few hours' rain, 

 I if planted in the open border. ]\Ir. 

 Gordon, in the Botanical Rerjister, 

 recommends the seeds to be sown in 

 pots, in a mixture of peat and loam, 

 with a little decomposed cow-dung ; 

 and when the plants come up, that 

 they should be transplanted into 

 other pots, and kept closely shut up 

 and well shaded till they have made 

 three or four leaves. The plants 

 shoidd then be shifted at once into 

 larger pots, and retui-ued to the 

 frame, "which should now have the 

 back turned to the sun, and be kept 

 close for several weeks, air not being 

 given at anytime until the plants are 

 fairly stai-ted and growing again." 

 Mr. Gordon continues : ' ' afterwards 

 remove the lights entirely during the 

 night, and keep them quite close in 

 the day during the summer and 

 autumn. '' In winter keep the plants 

 in a cold pit, where there is plenty 

 of light and air, but no damp. 



Arcto'tis.— (7o//i2VQs/?CE. — Under- 

 shrubs and herbaceous plants, natives 

 of the Cape of Good Hope, and of 

 which one species, A. dspera, has 

 large yellow flowers, and is tnaly or- 

 namental. It grows freely in loamy 

 soil, and is increased by cuttings 

 planted in sand under a handglass. 

 Ardi'sia. — Myrsinece. — A genus 

 of stove shrubs, of which A . lentigi- 

 nbsa is very ornamental for its scarlet 

 fruit. All the species grow in loam 

 and peat, and cuttings root freely in 

 sand in a moist heat under a hand- 

 glass. They may also be increased by 

 cuttings of the root placed in heat. 

 Arena'ria. — Caryophyllacece. — 

 Pretty little plants, with flowers 

 shaped like those of the Pink. Most 

 of the species are natives of Europe, 



and they are all quite hardy. The 

 flowers are red, white, or purple. 

 These jDlants are of easy culture in 

 auy dry sandy soil, and they are 

 particularly suitable for rockwork. 



ARGEiio'xE. — Papateraccce. — 

 Prickly-poppy. — Highly ornamental 

 hardy annuals and perennials from 

 Mexico, with large flowers like those 

 of the Poppy, and of the easiest cul- 

 ture. The plants, spreading widely, 

 require a good deal of room to look 

 handsome. 



Argyre'ia. — ConroIvidacecB. — A 

 very showy tropical climber, bearing 

 considerable resemblance to an Ipo- 

 mese, but with large bright lilac 

 flowers. 



Aristolo'chia. — Asdrince. — 

 Birth-wort. — The Aristolochias are 

 mostly climbing plants, requii-ing the 

 heat of a stove ; but A. Sipho, A. 

 tomentbsa, and A. ArJcdnsa, natives 

 of North America, are hardy enough 

 to endure the open air in Britain, 

 without the slightest protection. 

 They are all remarkable for the very 

 singular shape of their flowers, and 

 their large handsome leaves. They 

 should be grown in sandy loam and 

 peat ; and they are propagated by 

 cuttings . 



Arme'ria. — Pluiiibagincce. — 

 Thrift. — Hardy pei-ennials, most of 

 which are ornamental ; and one spe- 

 cies, A. vulgaris, the common 

 Thrift, is a good flowering plant for 

 edgings to beds and borders. It 

 thrives in any soil not saturated with 

 moisture, and is rapidly increased 

 by division. A. alptlna, which pro- 

 duces its pink flowers from May to 

 August, is a most desirable plant 

 for pots or rockwork. 



Artemi'sia. — CompjositCB. — This 

 genus contains, among other plants, 

 two well-known shrubs ; the South- 

 ernwood, or Old ]\Ian (Artemisia 

 Alrotanum), and the Wormwood 

 {A. Absinthium). There is another 



