A L K 



ALE 



and toothed. The divisions of the calyx are alter- 

 nately larger and smaller. The under surface or' the 

 leaves is hairy ; the radical ones resting on long 

 hairy peduncles; the stem-leaves sessile, of a 

 roundish form, divided into seven or eight lobes 

 scalloped round the edges. The flowers form a 

 kind of umbel, the universal involucre being a 

 leaf which entirely surrounds the stem, but the 

 partial involucre goes only halfway round. The 

 mouth of the calyx is closed by a yellow fleshy 

 ring, which perhaps answers the purpose of a 

 nectary. The anthers and stigma turn black 

 after flowering. The seed is generally but one ; 

 sometimes however there are two in each seed- 

 vessel. The chief beauty of this plant consists 

 in the leaves ; and when cultivated in the gar- 

 den it grows much larger than in its natural 

 situation. It is a native of the northern parts of 

 the island. It takes its name from the scallop 

 in its leaves, which have some resemblance to the 

 ladies' scalloped mantles. 



In the second species the leaves are very white, 

 and consist of from five to nine folioies, but 

 mostly seven, shining underneath, and serrated 

 only at the ends ; the stem-leaves having only 

 three folioies. The flower-stems seldom rise 

 more than six inches in height. It is admitted 

 into gardens for the sake of its elegance. It grows 

 naturally on the mountains in the northern parts 

 of the kingdom. 



Culture. — These plants are capable of being- 

 raised either by parting the roots or by sowing 

 the seeds. In the first method the best season for 

 performing the business is in the autumn, in 

 order that the plants may be well rooted before 

 the weather becomes too dry in the spring. The 

 soils that are most adapted to their growth, when 

 cultivated in the more southern districts, are 

 those that incline to moisture, and where the 

 situations are shady. In dry exposed places they 

 do not thrive in any perfect manner. Where 

 the latter method is practised, the seeds should 

 be sown in the autumn upon borders of good 

 earth that are shady and moist. After the plants 

 appear, the only culture they require is that of 

 keeping them clean and free from weeds. 



They are low, hardy plants, which are perennial 

 in root, but in leaf and stem only annual. The 

 principal merit they possess as ornamental plants, 

 is in the singularity of their leaves, which serve 

 to afford variety when blended with other low- 

 growing plants in the interior parts of borders, 

 clumps, and other compartments in pleasure- 

 grounds. 



ALDER TREE. See Beth la. 



ALDER, Black. SccRhamnls. 



ALETRIS, Guinea Aloe, a genus compris- 



ing plants of the succulent, herbaceous, ever- 

 green, exotic kinds, which belong to the Aloe 

 tribe. 



It belongs to the class and order Hexandria 

 Monogyniu, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Liliacece. 



The characters of which are: that it has no ca- 

 lyx : the corolla is one-petalled, ovate-oblong, 

 hexangular, funnel-shaped, semisexfid, very much 

 wrinkled, the divisions, being lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate, spreading, erect and permanent : the stami- 

 na are awl-shaped filaments, the length of the 

 corolla, and inserted into the base of the divisions : 

 the antherte are oblong and erect : the pistillum 

 is an ovate germ ; the style subulate, the length of 

 the stamina; the stigma trifid : the pericarpium 

 is an ovate, three-cornered, acuminate, three- 

 celled capsule : the seeds are numerous. 



The species chiefly cultivated are the following: 

 1. A.farinosa, American Aletris ; 2. A. Capensis, 

 Waved-leaved Cape Aletris ; 3. A. Uvaria, Great 

 Orange-flowered Aletris ; 4. A. Hyucint/toides, 

 Hyacinth-flowered Guinea Aletris; 5. A.fia- 

 grans, Sweet-scented Aletris. 



The first of these species has a tuberous root, 

 from which arise several lanceolate leaves, and a 

 naked stalk supporting a spike of flowers placed 

 alternately, of a greenish white colour. The 

 species appear in June, but are rarely succeeded 

 by seeds in this climate. It grows naturally in 

 North America. 



In the second the bulb is tunicated, and of a 

 violet colour. The root-leaves six, spotted with 

 violet. The spike or raceme terminating, imbri- 

 cated with great abundance of flowers, on very 

 short peduncles; the bracte to each setaceous. 

 The corolla subcylindrical, with flesh-coloured 

 dots, and a very short obtuse border : the fila- 

 ments adhering to it as far as the very edge. The 

 germ is shut up in the bottom of the corolla, and 

 the style is incurvated: the stigma being obtuse. 

 The capsule is a little inflated, acutely keeled, 

 compressed at the corners, and large. It is a 

 native of the Cape of Good Hope, and flowers 

 in this climate from November to April. 



The third species, which is commonly known 

 by the title of Bis Uvaria, has very long, nar- 

 row, triangular leaves, shaped like those of the 

 bullrush ; the flowers being produced in close 

 thick spikes, upon stalks nearly three feet in 

 height. They are of an orange colour: conse- 

 quently, when the plants are strong, and produce 

 , ikea, they make a tine appearance, and 

 have a good effect. It flowers in August and 

 September. 



There is a variety of this with narrower leaves, 

 and longer spikes of flowers, that has much ef- 



