D R A 



D R A 



In the fourth the root is perennial. The stems 

 about two feet high, with two smooth linear 

 leaves at each joint, about an inch long, and 

 one-eighth of an inch broad, with a deep furrow 

 along the middle : at each joint, at the other 

 sides of the stem, come out two or three very 

 narrow small leaves of the same shape. The 

 flowers are in spikes, of a fine blue colour. It 

 is a native of Norway, flowering in June. 



The fifth is an annual plant, rising with 

 branching stalks a foot and half high, with 

 oblong leaves, deeply serrate on their edges. The 

 flowers come out in whorls round the stalks at 

 every joint; are blue, and appear in July, con- 

 tinuing to the middle of August. It has a 

 strong balsamic odour, which to some is very 

 agreeable. Jt is a native of Moldavia. 



Culture. — These plants are raised in different 

 methods, according to the kinds. 



The first sort is best propagated by parting the 

 roots and planting them out in moist, sheltered, 

 shady situations, cither in the autumn or spring. 



In the second kind the plants are best raised 

 by sowing the seeds in pots of good mould in 

 the autumn, protecting them by means of a 

 frame and glasses during the winter. When the 

 plants have some growth they may be removed 

 into separate pots, and placed in the open air 

 during the summer, but brought under the 

 shelter of a green-house or garden-frame in the 

 winter; the latter is probably the better practice. 



They may likewise be increased by planting 

 cuttings of the young shoots in a warm shady 

 spot during the summer. These, when they 

 have formed good roots, should be removed into 

 pots, to be protected under glasses during the 

 winter. 



They require a pretty full exposure to the air 

 when the weather is suitable, being sufficiently 

 hardy to stand the open air in mild winters. 



The third and fourth species may be raised by 

 sowing the seeds in the early spring months, in 

 a bed of earth in an open exposure, or in pots. 

 When the plants have attained sufficient growth 

 they should be removed into a spot of fresh light 

 earth, and planted out six inches apart, proper 

 shade and water being given, till they become 

 rooted, or into separate pots. If the pots be 

 plunged in a moderate hot-bed it will greatly 

 forward them. 



They must be kept free from weeds till the 

 autumn, in the first situation, when they should 

 be taken up with good balls to their roots, and 

 be planted out in the borders or other parts, 

 where they are to remain. They may also be in- 

 creased by planting cuttings of the branches in 

 summer, in a shady spot, or in large pots, giving 



them shade and water, and afterwards removing 

 them into other pots. 



The fifth species must be raised annually by 

 sowing the seeds in patches, in the places where 

 the plants are to remain, in the spring. When 

 the plants appear, they should be properly thin- 

 ned, and kept perfectly free from weeds. 



All the sorts, except the second, may be em- 

 ployed for ornament in the beds or borders of 

 gardens and pleasure-grounds ; some of them 

 affording a fine smell, as well as pretty effect in 

 their flowers. They should be raised almost 

 annually, in order to keep good plants. 



The second kind is chiefly introduced among 

 green-house collections, both for variety and the 

 fragrant balsamic smell which it affords. 



DKACONTIUM, a genus containing a plant 

 of the climbing, evergreen, exotic kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Gynandria 

 Polyandria, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Piperitce. 



The characters arc: that the cdyx is a spalhe, 

 boat-form, leathery, one-valved, very large: spa- 

 dix extremely simple, cylindric, very short, coat- 

 ed on all sides with fructifications disposed into 

 a head, of each of which the perianthium proper 

 none, unless the corolla be so called : corolla 

 proper five-petalled, concave: petals ovate, ob- 

 tuse, somewhat equal, coloured : the stamina 

 consist of seven filaments, linear, depressed, up- 

 right, equal, longer than the corollet : anthers 

 four-cornered, twin, oblong, obtuse, upright : 

 the pistillum is a somewhat ovate germ : style 

 columnar, straight, length of the stamens : 

 stigma obscure, three-sided : the pericarpium in 

 each a roundish berry : the seeds very many. 



The species cultivated is D. pertusum, Per- 

 forate-Ieaved Dragon. 



It has slender jointed stalks, which put out 

 roots at every joint, that fasten to the trunks of 

 trees, walls, or any support whieh is near them, 

 and thereby rise to the height of twenty-five or 

 thirty feet : the leaves are placed alternately, 

 standing upon long foot-stalks; are four or 

 five inches long, and two and a half broad, 

 having several oblong holes in each, so that at 

 first they appear as if eaten by insects : the 

 flowers are produced at the top of the stalk, 

 which always swells to a larger size in that part 

 than in any other; are covered with an oblong 

 spatha (or hood) of a whitish green colour, 

 which opens longitudinally on one side, and 

 shows the spadix closely covered with flowers, 

 of a pale yellow, inclining to white. It is a 

 native of the West Indies. 



Culture. — This plant is readily increased by 

 planting cuttings of the young branches in pots 

 2 Y 



