PROPAGATION OF PLAXTS. 



the first summer, as the stocks will produce plenty of small fibrous roots 

 by the time they are wanted for use. Some of the dwarf species, like 

 the California Buckeye (^. Californlca), and the Dwarf Buckeye (^K. 

 parviflora), of the Eastern States, are readily increased by dividing up the 

 old stools or clumps of stems. 



Aganosoma. Showy greenhouse shrubs, principally from India. 

 Propagated by cuttings under glass with gentle bottom heat. 



Agapetes. Deciduous shrubs from the mountains of India. They 

 are closely allied to the Huckleberries ( Vacdniacete), but require the 

 heat of a warm greenhouse. Propagated by seeds, and half-ripened 

 cuttings under glass. 



Agathophylliun (Madagascar Nutmeg). An evergreen tree closely 

 allied to the Laurels, the leaves having "the fragrance of the clove. 

 Requires the heat of a warm greenhouse. Propagated very readily by 

 cuttings of the green shoots. 



Agathosma (Bucco). Small, evergreen, heath-like shrubs from the 

 Cape of Good Hope, thriving in a cool greenhouse in winter and in a 

 half shady position during the summer. Propagated by cuttings of the 

 green, succulent shoots under glass. 



Ailantus (Tree of Heaven). A well known tree from China ; the 

 staminate flowers exhaling a disagreeable, nauseating odor. Propagated 

 by seeds preserved in a dry, cool place over winter and then sown in 

 spring and lightly covered. Also increased by suckers and cuttings of 

 the roots. The latter modes are not recommended except for propagat- 

 ing the pistillate trees, the flowers of which are odorless. 



Akebia. A very hardy and handsome twining shrub from Japan. 

 Only one species as yet known, the A. quinata, or Five-leafletted. Read- 

 ily propagated by layers of either the old or young shoots. 



Alhagi (Manna Tree). Small shrubs with pea-shaped flowers. Na- 

 tives of Caucasus. One of the species, the A. maurorum, yields the 

 substance known as "manna," a natural exudation of the leaves and 

 branches. Propagated by seed, and cuttings of the green shoots placed 

 where they will receive bottom heat. 



Alnus (Alder). Deciduous trees and shrubs, mostly natives of cold 

 countries. The species are usually propagated by seeds preserved in a 

 dry, cool place over winter, and sown on the surface of the soil in spring 

 and thinly covered with moss or some light vegetable mold, which should 

 be kept constantly moist until the plants appear. Varieties are propa- 

 gated by cuttings of ripe wood, layers and grafting upon free growing 

 stocks. The recently introduced Japan Alder (A.firma), succeeds best 

 when grafted on the European Sticky Alder (A. gluttnosa). 



Amelanchter (Juneberry, Shadbush, Etc.) Deciduous trees and 

 shrubs. The North American species are extremely variable, producing 

 many natural and widely different varieties. Some grow to trees thirty 

 or more feet in height, others are merely dwarf shrubs two or three feet 



