ASTERS. 45 



are on the wane, making them highly deserving our favor. 

 The stem of this Aster grows from five to six feet high, the 

 leaves linear, lanceolate, entire, fleshy, smooth, and slightly 

 ribbed. The flowers corymbose, scales of the involucrum 

 obtuse, slightly membranous. This Aster and others are 

 easily propagated by dividing the roots in the spring or fall, 

 or by sowing the seeds in the spring, and will flower the 

 first year. The Asters are cultivated extensively in Eu- 

 rope. Mr. T. Rivers has been quite industrious in crossing 

 them, and with considerable success. In his catalogue 

 there are seventeen distinct varieties flowering from Septem- 

 ber to December, which must appear beautiful at that sea- 

 son. The soil for the culture of the Asters should be a rich 

 loam. 



AGAPANTHUS. 



(UMBELLATUS.) 



This superb and magnificent Lily is a native of Africa, 

 and is treated as a green-house plant, does equally well in 

 a pit or room ; was introduced in 1692. The leaves aro 

 slightly channelled, long, entire, something like the Leek cf 

 the vegetable garden ; is evergreen, throwing up a stem 

 about three feet high, with an umbel of beautiful azure 

 blue flowers ; the head is not unlike the seed-pod of the 

 onion, exhibiting about one hundred flowers, each standing 

 on a pedicle about one inch long. As the flowers do not 

 expand all at one time, gives the plant a very imposing ap- 



