25 



very handsome species, a native of 

 Siberia. All the kinds are very hardy, 

 and will grow in any common soil ; 

 and the Southernwood is valuable for 

 I beariag want of air, and smoke, with- 

 I out injury. The leaves of this plant, 

 ' slender as they are, will be found, if 

 j held up to thelight, to be full of trans- 

 parent dots, like those of all other 

 plants having highly-scented leaves. 

 These dots are the cells or vesicles 

 containing the fragrant oil that gives 

 out the scent ; and breaking them, 

 I by rubbing the leaves between the 

 fingers, makes the scent stronger. 



A^RUM. — Aroldece. — A genus of 

 perennials, chiefly natives of warm 

 climates, and of which a few species 

 are hardy in British gardens. Of 

 these, A. Dracunculus, the Dragon 

 Arum, deserves a place in the flower- 

 garden, for its very remarkable 

 flowers. The large and splendid 

 plant, with arrow-shaped leaves and 

 white flowers, commonly called the 

 Arum, belongs to a different genus, 

 and was first called by botanists 

 Cdlla, and afterwards Richdrdia 

 cethiopica. It is a native of the 

 Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena, 

 where it grows in rich soil by the 

 side of rivers. In England, it will 

 not bear the winter in the open air, 

 unless well protected ; and on this 

 account it is generally grown in pots. 

 It is increased by ofi'sets, which form 

 on its thick fleshy roots in August or 

 September. These should be potted 

 in small pots, in soil composed of 

 three parts of sandy loam, and one 

 i of leaf-mould, or thoroughly rotten 

 ! manure. The pots should be well 

 drained, and the plants frequently 

 watered, while they are in a growing 

 state. AboutMayor June, theleaves 

 will begin to wither at their points ; 

 and when this is perceived, thesiipply 

 of water should be lessened, till at 

 last only enough is given just to keep 

 the plant alive. During the time the 



leaves are dying off, the plant should 

 have abundance of light ; but when 

 they are all withered, the plant should 

 be removed to any shed or other place 

 where it may enjoy complete repose 

 for about a month. In October or 

 November it should be repotted, and 

 supplied with abundance of water, 

 particularly if kept in a sitting-room 

 where there is a daily fire. It should 

 indeed always stand in a saucer full of 

 Avater(changingthe water every day), 

 as the plant will not flower if once 

 suffered to become too dry while in 

 a growing state ; and as it has the 

 extraordinary power of discharging 

 the superabundant water from the 

 points of its leaves in drops, there 

 is no danger of the water injuring 

 it. The power of throwing off its 

 superabundant moisture renders it 

 also suitable for culture as an 

 aquatic plant ; and when thus 

 treated, it will live in the open air 

 all winter, as when the leaves die 

 down, the water, being only fi'ozen 

 a few inches below the surface, will 

 be at a sufficiently high temperature 

 to keep the root from frost. The 

 roots must be planted in the mud at 

 the bottom of the pond, and a part 

 should be chosen where the water is 

 not more than three feet deep. This 

 must be attended to ; because as 

 the plant will not expand its flowers 

 till its leaves rise above the surface, 

 the stem would become weakened 

 by being more elongated. The plant 

 generally flowers in March or April ; 

 but by prolonging its season of re- 

 pose, it may be made to flower in 

 May or June. 



Aru'ndo. — Graminece. — A . Dd- 

 nax is a splendid bamboo-looking 

 reed, rather tender in severe win- 

 ters ; but which, if the season be 

 favourable, will grow in rich soil, 

 kept moist, to the height of ten or 

 twelve feet in one y2ar ; producing 

 a fine oriental appearance when 



