BOTANY 13 
It is also grown in pots and baskets for the Cape-house, 
and when in flower it is greatly admired. 
A. Broussoneti.i—A beautiful hardy perennial 
climber from the Canary Islands, growing ten feet 
high ; feathery foliage and scarlet berries. In the 
autumn this is very ornamental. 
Among the most noteworthy of other ornamental 
species are: 4. Aethiopicus, Africanus, Asiaticus, Coop- 
ert, crispus, declinatus, decumbens, lucidus, retrofrac- 
tus, scandens, tenutfolius, trichophyllus, umbellatus, 
verticillatus, virgatus, etc., etc. 
EDIBLE SPECIES 
Asparagus officinalis.—While the young sprouts of 
a few other species may be used as food, this is the 
only one which has found a permanent place in culti- 
vation. Itis a branching, herbaceous plant, reaching 
a hight of from three to seven feet; the filiform 
branchlets, three to seven inches long, less than one- 
quarter inch thick, are mostly clustered in the axils of 
minute scales. The rootstock, or ‘‘crown,’’ is peren- 
nial, and makes a new growth each year of from one 
to three inches, extending horizontally, and generally 
in a straight line. It may propagate from both ends, 
or from only one, but in either case the older part of 
root stalk becomes unproductive and finally dies. 
Fig. 7 shows the new portion of the rootstock crowned 
with buds for the production of new shoots, while the 
older portion bears the scars and dead scales of pre- 
vious growths. From the sides and the lower part of 
the rootstock numerous cylindrical, fleshy roots start 
