22 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



white. There are also two yellow Arum Lilies, namely, Elliottiana 

 and Pentlandii. The latter has dark green leaves with reddish 

 petioles. Both sorts are beautiful, but much more expensive than 

 the white. Propagation is by division or offsets in spring. Soil : 

 3 parts loam, i part decayed cow manure, part sand. The Arum 

 Lilies are often planted out in the garden in summer, and potted up 

 about the middle of September, They will do in a minimum winter 

 temperature of 45, but require more heat for early winter bloom. 



Arundinaria (arundinar-ia, from arundo, a reed. Ord. Gramineae) . 

 A genus of Bamboos, several of which, notably Falconeri, 6 to 8 ft. 

 high, green foliage; Hindsii, 8 to 12 ft.; Japonica, 6 to 8 ft. (also 

 known as Bambusa Metake) ; auricoma, 2 to 4 ft. ; humilis, 3 to 4 ft. ; 

 and nobilis, 8 to 10 ft. ; are hardy. Simoni and its variegated form 

 are very handsome, but are not quite hardy. Falcata and Veitchii 

 require a greenhouse. Like the other two genera of Bamboos, 

 Bambusa and Phyllostachys, the Arundinarias are the better for 

 shelter when grown out of doors, as they are liable to be severely 

 cut by cold winds. They do best in a moist climate. When they 

 have flowered they die. Propagation is by division. Soil: loam, 

 peat, and leaf mould. 



Arundo, Great Reed (arun-do, from arundo, a reed. Ord. 

 Gramineae). Arundo conspicua, with its fine, silky white panicles, 

 which may rise to 8 ft. high in August, is no mean rival to the 

 Pampas Grass. It looks best in a bed on grass near water. Donax 

 is still taller, often attaining to 12 ft. Although the panicles are 

 reddish at first, they fade off white. There is a dwarf variety of 

 this called versicolor, \vhich has variegated leaves. Propagation is 

 by seeds or division in spring. Any cool, moist garden soil suits; 

 a thin, dry soil is not good. 



Ash (Fraxinus). The Ash is one of the best known of timber 

 trees, but is eschewed as a garden tree, owing to the greed of the 

 roots, which run all over the place and rob the crops. Fraxinus 

 Americana is the White Ash, F. Excelsior the Common Ash, and 

 F. Ornus the Manna Ash. There are several varieties of each. The 

 wood of Ash is tough and elastic; gardeners like it for the handles 

 of their tools. Propagation is by seeds in spring for the species, by 

 grafting for the varieties. Any soil. 



Ash, Mountain (Rowan). This is quite distinct from the ordinary 

 Ash, and belongs to a different genus Pyrus, species Aucuparia. 

 It is a very handsome tree, and is in great demand for garden plant- 

 ing, on account of its prettily cut foliage, and still more on account 

 of the bright orange berries which it bears in autumn. It does not, 

 as a rule, grow to very large dimensions; a tree 25 ft. high is a good 

 specimen. There are several varieties; one, with yellow fruit, is 

 called fructu-luteo ; others are distinguished by particularly erect 

 or pendulous habit, or by variegated foliage. Although it loses its 

 leaves in autumn, the Mountain Ash should not be overlooked when 

 trees are being chosen for the garden ; and it will grow in most soils. 



Asparagus (culinary). See Kitchen Garden. 



