A 



I. 



ALE 



and toothed. The divisions of the calyx arc altcr- 

 iiatelv larger and smaller. The under surface of the 

 leaves is hair\- ; the radical ones resting on long 

 hair)- peduncles; the stem-leaves sissilc, of a 

 roundisli tonn, divided into seven or eight lobes 

 8callo])e.d round the edges. The flowers form a 

 kind of umbel, the u!iiversal involucre being a 

 leaf which eniirelv siiriounds the stem, but the 

 partial involucre oocs onlv halfway round. The 

 month of the caTvx is closed by a yellow fleshy 

 rins, w hich perhaps answers the purpose of a 

 ncctarv. The anthers and stigma turn black 

 aft( r flowering. The seed is generally but one ; 

 sometimes however there are t\\o in each seed- 

 vessel. The chief beautv of this plant consists 

 in the leaves ; anil when cultivated in the gar- 

 den It grows nuieh larger than in its natural 

 situation. It is a native of the northern parts of 

 the island. It takes its name from the scallop 

 in its leaves, which Viave some resemblance to the 

 ladies' scalloped mantles. 



In the second species the leaves are very white, 

 and consist of from live to nine folioles, but 

 Biostiv seven, shining underneath, and serrated 

 onlv at the ends ; the stem-leaves having only 

 three folioles. The flower-stems seldom rise 

 more than six inches in height. It is admitted 

 into gardens for the sake of its elegance. It grows 

 naturallv on the mountains in the northern parts 

 of the kingdom. 



Culiiire. — These plants are capable of being 

 raised cither bv parting the roots or by sowing 

 the seeds. In the lirst method the best season for 

 performincr the business is in the autumn, in 

 order that the plants may be well rooted before 

 the weather becomes too dry in the spring. The 

 soils that are most adapted to their growth, when 

 cultivated in the more southern districts, are 

 those that incline to moisture, and where the 

 situations are shadv. In dry exposed places they 

 do not thrive in any perfect manner. W'here 

 the latter method is practised, the seeds should 

 be sown in the autumn upon borders of good 

 earth that are shadv and moist. After the plants 

 appear, the only culture they require is that of 

 keeping them clean and free from weeds. 



Thev are low , hardv plants, which are perennial 

 in root, but in leaf and stem only annual. The 

 principal merit thev possess as ornamental plants, 

 is in the singularitv of their leaves, which serve 

 to aflbrd variety when blended with other low- 

 growing plants in the interior parts of borders, 

 clumps, and other compartments in pleasure- 

 grounds. 



A LD KR TREE. Sec Beti- la . 



ALDER, Black. SccRhamnus. 



ALETRIS, Guinea Aloe, a genus compris- 



intj plants of the succulent, herbaceous, erer- 

 grcen, exotic kinds, w hich belong to the Aloe 

 tribe. 



It belongs to the class and order Hexatidria 

 Mojwgynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Lillacecc. 



The characters of which are: that it has no ca- 

 lyx : the corolla is onc-p-tallcd, ovalc-oi)long, 

 hexangular, funnel-shaped, semisexlid, very nuich 

 wrinkled, the divisions, benig lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, spreading, erect and permanent : the stami- 

 na are awl-shaped fdauicnts, the length of the 

 corolla, and inserted into the baseof the divisions : 

 the antherK are oblong and erect: the pistillum 

 is an ovate germ ; tiie slvle subulate, the length of 

 the stamina; the stigma trilid : the pericarpiuni 

 is an ovate, ihree-cornercfl, acmninatc, three- 

 celled capsule : the seeds are numerous. 



The species chiefly cultivated are the following: 

 1 . A. furinosa, American Aletris ; 2. A. Cape/isis,. 

 Waved-leaved Cape Aletris ; 3. A. fAw/o, Great 

 Orange-flowered Aletris ; 4. A. Hi/ac'mtlwidcs, 

 Hvacinth-flowered Guinea Aletris; 5. A. fru- 

 grans. Sweet-scented Aletris. 



The first of these species has a tuberous root, 

 from which arise several lanceolate leaves, and a 

 naked stalk supporting a spike of flowers placed 

 alternatelv, of a greenish white colour. The 

 species appear in June, but are rarely succeeded 

 bv seeds in this climate. It grows naturally in 

 North America. 



In the second the bulb is tunicated, and of a 

 violet colour. The root-leaves six, spotted with 

 violet. The spike or raceme terminating, imbri- 

 cated with great abundance of flowers, on very 

 short peduncles; the bracte to each setaceous. 

 The corolla subcylindrical, with flesh-coloured 

 dots, and a very short obtuse border : the fila- 

 ments adhering to it as far ;is the very edge. The 

 germ is shutup in the bott(;m of the corolla, and 

 the stvle is ineurvaled: the stigma being obtuse. 

 The capsule is a little inflated, acutely keeled,, 

 compressed at the corners, and large. It is a 

 native of the Cape of Good Hope, and flow ers 

 in this climate frtun November to April. 



The th'rd species, which is commonly known 

 hv the title of Irh Uvaria, has very long, nar- 

 row, trianj-nlar leaves, shaped like those of the 

 bulimsii; the flowers being produced in close 

 thick spikes, upon stalks nearly three ieet in 

 heiffht. They are of an orang' colour: conse- 

 quently, wh.n the plants are strong, and produce 

 large spikes, thev male a line appeai ance, and 

 have a rood ctiect. It flowers in August and 

 September. 



There is a variety of this with narrower leaves,, 

 and longer spikes of flowers, that has much ef- 



