322 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



ground. If worms get into pots, stir a little mustard in some 

 water and pour it in. Worms are also a nuisance in lawns when in 

 sufficient quantities to cover the grass with their " casts." Lime- 

 water may be used to bring them up. See Lime. 



Wych Elm, Ulmus glabra and montana. 



Xeranthemum (xeran-themum, from xeros, dry, and anthos, a 



flower everlastings. Ord. Compositae). Now classed with Heli- 



chrysum by botanists. Seedsmen offer annuum, purple, summer, 

 2 ft., and various colours. Sow outdoors in spring. 

 Xiphion. See Iris. 

 Yarrow. See Achillea. 

 Yew. See Taxus. 



Yucca, Adam's Needle (yuc-ca, the Peruvian name. Ord. Lilia- 

 ceae). Handsome foliage plants, several of the best of which, such 

 as angustifolia, nlamentosa, and gloriosa, 

 are hardy. Angustifolia (Botanical 

 Magazine, t. 2236) has narrow leaves 

 and bears white flowers in July; stricta 

 r is a variety of it. Filamentosa (Botani- 

 cal Register, t. 900), the Silk Grass, has 

 threads on the margins of the leaves, 

 and bears white flowers in June ; flaccida 

 and variegata are varieties. Gloriosa 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 1260) is longer, with stiff, 

 erect, glaucous leaves, and white or 

 pale red flowers in summer; there are 

 several varieties of it. Recurvifolia, 

 with long recurving leaves and white 

 flowers in summer, is also good. The 

 most popular of the greenhouse species 

 is aloifolia (Bot. Mag., t. 1700), which 

 has leaves about 18 ins. long, with a 

 reddish spine at the tip; it has white 

 flowers in spring; there are many 

 varieties, among which variegata is a 

 favourite. In addition there are many handsome hybrids, such as 

 elegantissima, Guiglielmi, Imperator, magnifica, and praecox. As a 

 rule the Yuccas do not flower while young, but filamentosa is an 

 exception. They like loamy soil, lightened with mortar rubbish 

 and enriched with decayed manure. Propagation is by suckers, or 

 cuttings of the roots inserted in a frame. Whether in pots or out- 

 doors they dislike stiff, wet soil. Little water is needed in winter. 



Zauschneria calif ornica, Calif orni an Fuchsia (zauschne-ria, after 

 Herr Zauschner. Ord. Onagrarieae) . A half-hardy Californian 

 shrub, growing about a foot high, with scarlet flowers in summer; 

 grandiflora and latifolia (Botanical Magazine, t. 4493) are varieties. 

 It may be grown in light loamy soil on a sunny rockery or in pots 

 in a frame. Propagation is by seeds or cuttings. 



PROPAGATING YUCCAS BY ROOT 



CUTTINGS, 

 i. Drainage. 2. Soil. 



3. Root cutting. 

 Strike in gentle bottom heat. 



