152 HOT-HOUSE OF REPOTTING, &C. {May. 



and produces beautiful small red berries, which continue 

 until other berries are produced the following year, and 

 frequently there may be seen on one plant the berries of 

 three successive years, thus being a very ornamental plant 

 and very desirable. It is vulgarly called the dwarf ever- 

 bearing cherry. It will keep in a good green-house, but 

 not grow freely. A. solanacea has large oblong leaves, 

 narrowed at each end, and bears purple berries ; A. ele- 

 gans has entire, oblong, shining leaves ; A. umbellata, 

 once A. littoralis, is also a fine plant for an abundance of 

 flower and beauty of foliage. The flowers are pink, in 

 large decompound panicles. 



rfreca, Cabbage-tree, ten species. They are a kind of 

 palms, with large pinnated leaves, or properly fronds. In 

 their indigenous state they are from six to forty feet high, 

 but in the hot-house they seldom exceed twenty feet. A. 

 catechu is used in medicine. A. olerdcea is cultivated 

 extensively in the West Indies, and the tender part of the 

 top is eaten by the natives. A. montand is most frequent 

 in collections. There is no particular beauty in the flowers. 

 They are all easily grown, if plenty of heat be given. (Soil 

 No. 12.) 



Aristolochias, Birth-wort. There are several of these 

 belonging to the hot-house, but none of them deserving 

 particular observation, except A. labiosa and A. brasilien- 

 sis. The leaves are reniform, roundish, cordate, and am- 

 plexicaule ; the flower or corolla is of a curious construction, 

 being incurved, and at the base swelled or saccate, with a 

 large lip, and all beautifully spotted ; colour greenish brown. 

 They are climbing plants, and require a strong heat. (Soil 

 No. 9.) 



Astrapaeas, three species. A. Wallicldi is a celebrated 

 plant in Europe, and is frequently met with in our collec- 

 tions. It has a profusion of scarlet umbellated flowers, 

 with an involucre; has twenty -five stamens united into a 

 tube, bearing the corolla with five petals; leaves roundish, 

 cordate, acuminate, very large, with persistent, ovate wavy 

 stipules. The plant is of easy culture, and grows freely, 

 wood very strong. (Soil No. 12.) 



Bambiisas, Bamboo-cane, two species. Plants of very 

 strong growth, and are used in the East Indies, where they 

 are indigenous, for eVery purpose in the construction of 



