ASD CONSEETATORT. 197 



CHAPTER XV. 



HAED-LEAVED PLANTS. 



The plants that claim attention in this chapter have for 

 several years past been rising in popular estimation, but as yet 

 are not sufficiently understood as to their management, or 

 appreciated as to their beauties. Being for the most part 

 quiet in colour and slow in growth, they do not readily obtain 

 a hold on the affections of amateurs, and only such as are 

 amateurs indeed, and influenced by peculiar tastes, will ever 

 become permanently interested in them. Their claims on our 

 attention are many and strong. The more distinctive of them 

 are strikingly tropical in aspect and present us with a majestic 

 and masculine order of beauty. They are long lived, robust 

 habited, and bear ill treatment as patiently as any plants 

 known to cultivation. But ill treatment will not develope 

 their proper characters, and the best treatment is of so simple 

 a nature that it would be a shame anywhere and anyhow if a 

 collection of these noble plants should be allowed to fall into 

 decline through neglect or mismanagement. 



The plants we have in view as "hard leaved" are Agaves, 

 Beaucarneas, Dasylirions, Dracaenas, Fourcroyas, Hechtias, 

 Palms, and Yuccas. Por the cool conservatory there is ample 

 room for selection amongst these plants, but the amateur must 

 be careful not to purchase for the cool house any species that 

 require intermediate or ptove temperature, for this mistake 

 may be easily made in the case of palms and dracaenas, some of 

 the noblest of which are decidedly tender in constitution. A 

 few notes on the cultivation of the several sections of this 

 group will suffice for all practical purposes. 



Agates are usually classed with succulent plants, but this 

 appears to us to be the proper place for them. The so-called 

 " American aloe," u^. Americana, h the representative of the 

 family, the members of which differ considerably in their 



