YUC 



y u c 



\7EW TREE. See Taxus. 

 X YUCCA, a genus containing plants of the 

 succulent, evergreen, shrubby, hardy, and ten- 

 der kinds. 



It belongs to the class and order llexandrui 

 Monogynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Li Ha. 



The characters arc: that there is no calyx: 

 the corolla is monopetalousy bell-shaped, and 

 divided into six large oval segments : the stami- 

 na, six very short reflexed filaments, having 

 small anthers : the pistillum is an oval three- 

 cornered germ, longer than the stamina; no 

 style, but an obtuse three-furrowed stigma: the 

 pericarpium is an oblong, triangular, trifid, 

 trivalved capsule of three cells, containing many 

 seeds lying over one another in a double series. 



The species cultivated are: 1. Y. gloriosu, 

 Common Adam's Needle ; 2. Y. filamentosa, 

 Thready Virginian Yucca ; 3. Y. aloij'olia, Aloe- 

 leaved Yucca; 4. Y. Draconis, Dragon Tree- 

 leaved Yucca. 



The first has an erect, ligneous, thick stem, 

 two or three feet in height, having very long, 

 narrow, stiff, entire leaves, ending in a long, 

 sharp, black spine, garnishing the stem almost 

 to the bottom, and in a large tuft at top: from 

 the centre of the top leaves rises a long branching 

 peduncle, sustaining a panicle of bell-shaped 

 white and purple flowers. It is a native of Ca- 

 nada, flowering in August. 



The second species rises with an upright, 

 thick, ligneous stem, two or three feet high, 

 adorned at top with a tuft of very long spear- 

 shaped, stiff", blunt-pointed, sawed, filamentose 

 leaves, emitting long threads from the sides, 

 hanging downward ; and from the top of the 

 stein amidst the leaves an erect peduncle or 

 flowerstalk, several feet high, which is set with 

 many large white and purple striped leaves. It 

 is a native of Virginia, flowering in August and 

 September. 



The third rises with an erect, thick, fleshy 

 s>tcm, eight or ten feet in height : it is crowned 

 with a large tuft of long, narrow, stiff, crenated, 

 aloe-like leaves ending in sharp spines : from the 



centre of the crown of leaves comes out the- 

 flowerstalk, branching pyramidally two or three 

 feet in height, having all the branches terminat- 

 ing in a spike of flowers, purple without and 

 white within, appearing in August and Septem- 

 ber. It is a native of America. 



The fourth species has an upright, thick, 

 brown stem, three feet in height, crowned with 

 long, narrow, serrated leaves ending in spines 

 and nodding downward : in the centre of the 

 leaves arises the flowerstalk very branchy, with 

 aH the branches terminating in spikes of flesh- 

 coloured flowers, which appear in August and 

 September. It is also a native of America. 



Culture. — These plants are all capable of being 

 raised by off-sets or suckers, from the roots and 

 heads of the old plants, as well as by seed. 



The off-sets and suckers may be taken off any 

 time in the spring or summer seasons, being 

 laid in some dry place for a few days, till the 

 wounded part caused by the separation from the 

 plant is dried and healed over ; when they may 

 be planted out separately in pots of light sandy 

 compost, and be placed in a shady situation 

 till they have taken root in a perfect manner. 

 When assisted by a hot-bed, they often succeed 

 better. 



The seed obtained from abroad should be sown 

 in the spring in pots of light earth, plunging 

 them in a hot-bed, in which the plants soon 

 come up; and when they are two or three inches 

 high, they should be pricked out separately in 

 small pots of light sandy mould, re-plunging 

 them in the hot-bed to forward their growth, 

 assisting them with moderate waterings and fresh 

 air daily, and hardening them by degrees to the 

 full air, so as to be set out in June to remain till 

 October, when they should be removed into the 

 green-house for the winter.. 



Some plants of all the sorts should constantly 

 be preserved in pots. 



They are all very ornamental ; the two first 

 after they have been hardened, in the dry borders, 

 where the soil is light and where the situation is 

 warm and sheltered ; and the others in green» 

 house collections, among other potted plants. 



