the hardiest are A. acanthocdrpa, a 

 native of ]\Iexico, with pale pink 

 flowers; and spiny pods ; and J../z£Zi- 

 brissin, the Silk tree, a native of 

 Persia, and one of the most beautiful 

 small trees that can he imagined ; the 

 flowers are like long silk tassels, and 

 they vary from a pale pink or rose- 

 colour, to a delicate lilac ; but they 

 seldom attain perfection in the open 

 air in England, for want of heat in our 

 summers, though they are extremely 

 beautiful in Italy. Of the stove 

 species, the handsomest are A . spe- 

 ciosa, A. grandiflbra, A. HoKStbni, 

 and A. scdndens ; and they should 

 all be kept in the coolest and most 

 aii-y part of the stove. A . vera, the 

 Grum Arabic tree, A. Catechu, from 

 the unripe pods of which is made the 

 substance called Terra Japonica, and 

 A. Senegal, the Gum Senegal tree, 

 are only interesting for theii- pro- 

 ducts. 



All the kinds of Acacia require to 

 be grown in sandy loam, or in a mix- 

 ture of sand, peat, and leaf-mould, 

 well drained. They are generally pro- 

 pagated by imported seeds (though 

 some of the species have ripened seed 

 in this cotmtry) ; and the seeds are 

 sometimes two, or even three years 

 in the ground, before they come up. 

 To hasten their vegetation, they may 

 be steeped in very hot water, and 1^ 

 in the water for several days, or in 

 oxalic acid and water, and sometimes 

 even boiled for a minute or two ; or 

 a little bit may be cut or scraped ofl" 

 just at the scar on the seed ; and 

 when prepared by any of these modes, 

 they will generally come up in about 

 a week or a fortnight. Acacias may 

 also be propagated by cuttings ; but 

 as these are rather difficult to strike, 

 they should be put into a pot filled 

 with pure white sand, covered closely 

 with a bell-glass, and then plunged 

 into a hot-bed. The tenderer species 

 may also be grafted on A. dealbata. 



A. lophantha, and A. melanoxylon, 

 which appear to be the hardiest kia ds. 

 All these three species will generally 

 spring up again from the root, when 

 killed down to the ground by frost ; 

 and whenever this is the case with 

 any plants, it indicates that the plants 

 may be propagated by cuttings of the 

 roots, which is frequently done with 

 these Acacias. All the roots of the 

 Australian species of Acacia smell 

 like Garlic, and this smell is very 

 j perceptible on entering a room where 

 ; any of these plants are kept, if it has 

 been shut up for a few days. For 

 this reason, when Acacias are kept 

 in a greenhouse adjoining the living- 

 rooms of a house, care should be 

 taken to give the house abimdance 

 of ventilation ; and this is also very 

 conducive to the health of the plants. 



Aca'cia. — See Robi'xia and Mi- 

 iio'sA ; as plants belonging to these 

 genera are often called Acacia, though 

 they differ widely from the true 

 Acacias both in the structure and 

 appearance of their flowers, and ia 

 their habit of grow-th. 



Aca'xthus. — A canthdcece. — Per- 

 ennial plants, natives of the warm 

 parts of Europe, two of which, A. 

 mollis and A. sjnnosus, deserve a 

 place in every collection, from their 

 stately appearance, and from the 

 legend of their leaves having given 

 the first idea of the capital of the 

 Corinthian orderof architectm-e. All 

 the kinds of Acanthus require a sandy 

 soil, and a good deal of room ; and 

 they are all readily increased by 

 division of the root, and by seeds. 

 The situations most suitable for a 

 large plant of Acanthus are near a 

 stone seat on a lawn ; at the foot of 

 a block of stone introduced among 

 rockwork ; or among classical ruins, 

 such as those at Yii-ginia Water, 

 "Windsor, &c, 



A'cARUs. — A genus of small in- 

 sects or mites. A 'car us teldrius, the 



