164 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
the West Indies, and the variegated variety of the same; also Y. 
Stokesit, another variegated kind, full of grace and elegance. And 
we must not forget that good old kind, Y. gloriosa, introduced from 
America, with its handsome bold erect habit and its pale yellow 
inflorescence. Contrasting nicely with these is the slender-leaved 
variety Y. tenwzfolia, brought from Malta, and Y. serrulata, with its 
still narrower foliage, from Carolina. But ¥. quadricolor is about 
the most graceful and elegant of all the varieties of this family. It 
is a variegated sport from Y. draconis, a drooping-leaved kind, 
introduced also from Carolina, and for its beauty and general ex- 
cellence for decorative purposes should be in every conservatory. 
There are also several very beautiful kinds, of more recent intro- 
duction, but as yet expensive, such as Y. alba spica, a very attractive 
variety, Y. obliqua, and Y. concava. But I have named enough to 
help readers to a selection, and the kinds first named are very rea- 
sonuble in price, and admirably adapted for our purpose; so I will 
pass on to their cultivation. The first point is the compost; and 
the best will be that prepared of three parts yellow loam, and one part 
sharp sand and leaf-mould, and used in a rough state. Let the pots 
for them be well drained, that is, quite a sixth part of the pots filled 
with crocks, and over these let some rough stuff be placed to keep 
them from being choked up. I will also add, let them be potted 
firm. In watering them it will be only necessary to keep the soil 
just moist even in the summer, and in the winter let water be given 
very sparingly. 
AGAVES must next have consideration, for they are exceedingly 
well adapted for large conservatory decoration, although perhaps 
a little too stiff; though that does not apply to Agave geminiflora, 
otherwise Bonapartea juncea, for it is all grace and elegance, and a 
plant that should be grown in every warm conservatory. It is of 
slow growth, taking many years to get to even two feet in height; 
but its pendulous habit and close growth make it a beautiful front- 
row plant, and standing, as it should do, on the top of an inverted 
pot, it shows to great advantage ; for the foliage, which is dark green 
and rush-like in form, springs up from the centre of the plant, and 
as the first growth gives place to fresh growth the leaves fall evenly 
all around, hanging, in fact, all over and nearly hiding its own pot 
as well as the inverted one. It came from Peru. B. filamentosa is 
also another good variety, and equally attractive ; they both grow 
well in soil composed of equal parts of leaf-mould, peat, and sand ; 
they require, especially in the winter and autumn, to be watered 
sparingly ; that is, just keep the soil moist, and no more. A few of 
the best of the agaves of rigid growth are A. americana variegata, A. 
applanta, A. glauca, A. picta, and A. Verschaffelti. These grow freely 
in a mixture of turfy loam, sand, and crocks broken up rather small. 
They should remain in the conservatory or greenhouse throughout 
the year, and during the winter be kept dry at the roots. 
THe New Zeratanp Frax, or Frax Lity of the colonists 
(Phormium tenaz of the botanists) must now be noticed. It resembles 
in its growth an enormous Iris, which is the best thing I can liken 
it to. It is quite hardy in the south of England. I recollect a 
