36 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Agapanth.ua continued. 

 A. n. albidus (whitish).* /. pure white, on large full-sized 



umbels, smaller than those of the species, but very showy. 



Cape of Good Hope. This requires carefully drying off during 



the winter. 

 A. tu aurens (golden). A variety in which the leaves are marked 



longitudinally with yellow. 1882. 

 A. u. florc pleno (double-flowered).* Identical in aU respects 



with the species, except that it has double flowers, which are 



therefore, much more lasting than the single ones. A very 



handsome variety. 

 A. u. Leichtlinii (Leichtlin's).* fl., perianth deep bright hyacin- 



thinu blue, IJin. long; scape about lift, long, with a more compact 



umbel than any other known form. June. I. similar in size 



to the species. Cape of Good Hope, 1878. 

 A. U. maximus (larger).* fl. bright blue, in immense umbels. 



This is larger in all its parts than the type, and when well grown 



is truly a noble plant. There is also a white-flowered form of this 



variety, which is most desirable, being equally as large. 

 A. U. minor (smaller).* This is smaller in all its parts, with 



narrow leaves, and slender scapes of deep blue flowers. A very 



elegant variety. 

 A. n. Mooreanus (Moore's).* /. dark blue. h. lift. 1879. A 



new variety, with shorter, narrower, and more upright leaves than 



the species ; it has a dwarf habit. Perfectly hardy. 

 A. n. variegatus (variegated).* Where variegated-leaved plants 



are desired, few could be more useful than this ; its leaves are 



almost entirely white, with a few green bands, but they are 



neither so broad nor so long as in the type. It is an excellent 



subject for the domestic garden. 



AGAPETES (from agapetos, beloved ; in reference to 

 the showy character of the plants). OBD. Vactiniaceae. A 

 genus containing about eighteen species of warm green- 

 house or stove evergreen shrubs. Flowers corymbose and 

 racemose; corolla tubular. Leaves alternate, coriaceous. 

 They are all worthy of cultivation, but only two or three 

 species are grown in England. Peat, turfy loam, and sand, 

 in equal parts, is the best compost for them; and young 

 hardened cuttings will strike in sandy soil, under a hand 

 glass, in stove temperature. 



A. buxUblla (Box-leaved).*/, bright red, about lin. long, tubular, 

 wax-like, disposed in corymbs. ApriL I. small, oval oblong, 

 bright green, leathery; branches spreading, twiggy, h. 5ft. 



A, setigera (bristly), fl. red, about lin. long, tubular, numerous, 

 in lateral and corymbose racemes, furnished with bristly hairs. 

 I. scattered, lanceolate, acuminated, on very short robust petioles 

 Pundua Mountains, 1837. 



A. varlegata (variegated), fl. scarlet, about lin. long, tubular, 

 lateral, corymbose, t. on short petioles, lanceolate, acuminated, 

 denticulated, attenuated at the base, veiny. Khasia, 1837. 



AGARICUS (derived from Agaria, the name of a town 

 in Sarmentosa). Mushroom. ORD. Fungi. The most 

 extensive genus known. It, however, contains but one or 

 two species of cultural value. The most important ones 

 are the common field mushroom, A. campestris (Fig. 44) 

 tho Fairy Bing mushroom, A. pratensis, and A. vaginatus'. 

 Familiar species are the Parasol mushroom, A. procerus 

 (Fig. 43) ; St. George's mushroom, A. gambosus (Fig. 42) ; 

 and the deadly Fly Agaric, A. muscarius (Fig. 41). For 

 practical purposes the majority of this genus are poisonous, 

 and many virulently so. Great care must be exercised in 

 experimenting with unknown species, even by experienced 

 fungologists. See Mushroom, 



AGASTACHYS (from agastos, admirable, and stachys, 



a spike). ORD. Proteaceas. A greenhouse evergreen shrub] 



with four sepalled apetalous flowers, which are disposed 



in numerous spikes. It thrives in a compost of equal parts 



loam, sand, and peat. Cuttings of ripened wood will strike 



in sandy soil under a glass, in a cool house. 



A. odorata (fragrant).* JL pale yellow, sweet scented, crowded 



spikes 4m. to bin. long. April. I. bluntly lanceolate sub ses ' 



slle, thickish, about 2in. long. h. about 3ft New HtolJand, 1826.' 



AGATH2EA (from agathos, excellent; in reference to 

 the beauty of the flowers). ORD. Compositce. Allied to 

 Cineraria, and requiring the same greenhouse treatment. 

 It makes a very pretty object for summer decoration in 

 the flower garden. Young cuttings root freely, in a gentle 

 heat, at all times; and the plant may be had in flower 

 all tho year round. 



Agathsaa continue d. 



A. coalestis (sky-blue).* fl.-head blue; peduncle one-headed. 

 June. 1. opposite, ovate, naked, h. lift. Cape of Good Hope, 

 1753. Herbaceous perennial. See Fig. 40. 



FiQ. 40. AOATH 



AGATHA HOSE. See Rosa gallica Agatha. 



AGATHIS. See Dammara. 



AGATHOPHYLLTJM (from agathos, pleasant, and 

 phyllon, a leaf ; referring to the pleasant clove-like smell 

 of the leaf). Madagascar Nutmeg. OBD. Laurinece. 

 A stove evergreen tree, of economic value only, having tho 

 fruit enclosed by the persistent calyx; thriving in peat 

 and light rich loam. Of easy propagation by cuttings in 

 sand, with a moderate bottom heat. 



A. aromaticum (aromatic), fl. white. I. stalked, alternate, 

 obovate, obtuse, leathery, entire, smooth, h. 30ft. Madagascar, 



AGATHOSMA (from agathos, pleasant, and osme, smell; 

 the plants contained in this genus have a pleasant smell). 

 STNS. Bucco, Dichosma. ORD. Rutacece. Beautiful small 

 Heath-like greenhouse shrubs, from the Cape of Good Hope. 

 Flowers in terminal heads, or umbels ; petals five, divided, 

 with long claws, and scattered, short, narrow leaves, usually 

 with revolute edges. They are of easy culture, thriving best 

 in a mixture of sand and peat, with the addition of a 

 little turfy loam. Young cuttings will strike root freely 

 in a pot of sand, under a bell glass, in a cool house. 

 They require to be shaded somewhat in the summer. 

 Winter temperature, 40deg. to 45deg. About forty-six 

 species are known. 



A. acumlnata (taper-pointed lea. 

 glandular, on terminal subcapitate hea 



* fl. violet ; calyces smooth, 

 subcapitate heads. ApriL I. ovate, some- 

 what cordate, long acuminated, fringed, at length spreading, h. 



1ft to 2ft. 1812. 



A. bruniades (Brunia-like).* /. lilac or white, on terminal sub- 

 umbellate heads; peduncles fastigiate, elongated. April. I. scat- 

 tered, linear-trigonal, awl-shaped, dotted, and a little fringed ; 

 branches hairy, h. 1ft. to 2ft. 1820. 



A. cerefolia (Chervil-leaved), fl. white, small ; pedicels and 

 calyces beset with glandular hairs ; heads terminal sub-umbel- 

 late. ApriL I. crowded, lanceolate, acute, spreading, keeled, 

 fringed. A. 1ft. to 2ft 1794. 



A. ciliata (ciliated).* fl. white ; pedicels smoothish ; heads ter- 

 minal sub-umbellate. April. \. scattered, lanceolate, acute 

 with toothletted-fringed, revolute edges, dotted beneath, and 

 bearing hairs on the middle nerve, becoming at length reflexed. 



A. erecta (upright).* fl. pale violet, terminal, sub-umbellate 

 peduncles short, villous. April. I. imbricate, trigonal, blunt 

 dotted beneath, a little fringed, h. 1ft. to 2ft 1818. 



A. hirta (hairy), fl. purple, densely capitate ; petals bearded at 

 the claws. April. I. somewhat imbricate, linear, awl-shaped, 

 channelled, hairy on the back, decurrent. A. 1ft to 2ft. 1794. 



