AGAVE. 



ALLEY. 



for a strong plant, but a large pot or tub is 

 required for several plants ; and this is the 

 most effective and more usual way of grow- 

 ing the Agapanthus. Use a strong rich 

 oam, and during the summer months give 

 ibundance of water, and liquid manure 

 l wice a week. In winter protect from 

 severe frost, and water sparingly. 



Aga've (not. ord. Amaryllidacese). 



A plant consisting of a number of broad, 

 fleshy leaves, with thorns protruding from 

 the edges, throwing up from the centre a 

 long flower spike, from which proceed 

 branchlets sustaining flowers white and 

 tinted with a yellowish -green colour. The 

 Agave is usually supposed to live a hundred 

 years before it flowers, but this is not the 

 case. It is chiefly used for the ornamenta- 

 tion of terraces when placed in tubs or very 

 large pots, and it is equally effective for 

 this purpose in the greenhouse. There are 

 many varieties, but the best known is the 

 Agave Americana, or American Aloe, 

 which reaches a height of twenty feet, and 

 even more when flowering. The word 

 "agave," it may be said, is pronounced 

 ag-a'-ve. 



Culture. It requires a rich, loamy soil, 

 mixed with river sand, and some peat and 

 leaf-mould. Plenty of brick rubbish should 

 be placed at the bottom of the tub or pot 

 to supply means of thorough drainage. 

 Propagated by suckers thrown off from the 

 parent plant. Agaves should be freely 

 watered in summer. 



Agera'tum (nat. ord. Composite). 



Useful, half-hardy annuals. The shades 

 are blue, white, and red. The seed should 

 be sown in a warm border in a light soil in 

 April or May. There are many "species of 

 Ageratum, but the best known is Ageratum 

 Mexicanum, from which many varieties 

 have been produced, the most noticeable 

 being, perhaps, "Swanley Blue," and 



Cupid," both blue; "SnowH ike," white; 



AGERATUM MEX1CANUM. 



land "Queen," with flowers of a pretty 

 ! livery grey. 



Allan 'thus (nat. ord. Xanthoxylaceae). 



A noble tree, resembling a gigantic stag's 

 horn sumach, invaluable for avenues, 

 groves, shrubberies, or wherever trees of 

 stately growtkand large ornamental foliage 

 are required. Succeeds in any poor shal- 

 low soil. The leaves are largely used in 

 France as food for silkworms. It is some- 

 times called the " Tree of Heaven," which 

 is, indeed, the meaning of Ailanthus. 

 (Hardy.) 



Alexan'ders. (Smyrnium olusatrum). 

 This herb, sometimes called Alisander, 

 was once much cultivated in the same way 

 as celery, and used for the same purpose. 

 Sow on a light rich soil during April and 

 May in drills about 2 ft. 6 in. apart. Thin 

 out the plants when large enough, leaving 

 about I ft. between those allowed to re- 

 main. When about I ft. in height earth 

 up, so as to blanch like celery. 



Alley. 



A term applied to narrow walks of turf 

 or gravel parallel to the main walks and 

 dividing the parts of the kitchen garden 



