148 KINGSBRIDGE 



at the time that heat was desirable, probably prevented this 

 noble plant from attaining the height it would otherwise 

 have done. Twenty-six feet was about the length of the 

 flower stem. The photograph accompanying these pages 

 was taken from this plant. 



The Journal of Horticulture of September 5th, 1872, 

 sa y S — "The first of our herbalists who mentions the 

 American Aloe is Parkinson. In his ' Theatrum Botanicum,' 

 published in 1640, he says — 'It grew first in America, 

 which being brought into Spaine, was from thence spread 

 into all quarters.' He also observes on its early flowering 

 in the hotter countries, 'but never in these colder,' so that 

 at that time we may conclude it had not flowered in 

 England, although we know that it had flowered in France 

 and Italy. ^ ^ # This Agave is not merely an orna- 

 ment, for, as stated by Dr. Hogg, in his ' Vegetable 

 Kingdom,' the root as well as the leaves yield excellent 

 fibre, called Pita fibre, which is separated by bruising and 

 steeping them in water. The Mexicans make their paper 

 of this fibre." 



The following paper, which was contributed to the 

 Gardeners' Chronicle, in October, 1842, by John Lus- 

 combe, Esq., of Combe Royal, will doubtless be read with 

 interest. It was kindly lent by the author, with permission 

 to copy. 



THE SALCOMBE ALOES. 



"Believing that there is no part of England, where so 

 many plants of the Agave Americana have grown to maturity 

 in the open ground, without the slightest protection, I am 

 induced to send you a brief statement of the specimens that 

 have flowered at Salcombe, a small seaport near Kings- 

 bridge, in the South of Devon. The first on record bloomed 



