HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



flava, the Sweet Buckeye, and ^E. pavia, the Red 

 Buckeye, are shrubs or small trees, natives of 

 Virginia, and West and South. ^E. Caiifornica 

 is a beautiful, large, spreading shrub, the most 

 ornamental of the whole genus. Its flowers are 

 rose-colored, in racemes about six inches long, 

 and are produced in great abundance from June 

 till July. All the species are propagated by 

 seeds. 



2Ethusa. Fool's Parsley. The name alludes to 

 the acridity of the plants, and is derived from 

 aithusso, to heat or make hot. Linn. Pentandria- 

 Dir/ynia. Nat. Ord. Apiacece. 

 African Lily. See Agapanthus. 

 African Marigold. See Tagetes. 

 Agalmyla. From agalma, an ornament, and hule, 

 a forest. Linn. Didynamia-Angiospermia. Nat. 

 Ord. Gesnerinceft'. 



A small genus of beautiful green-house or hot- 

 house plants from the islands of the Eastern 

 Archipelago. A. staminea is a very handsome 

 plant, epiphytal in habit, creeping and rooting 

 on the trunks of trees. It has strong stems, 

 large, fleshy, Gloxinia-like leaves, and axillary 

 fascicles of from twelve to fifteen flowers each, 

 tubular-shaped, two inches long, bright scarlet. 

 Propagated by cuttings. 



Agapanthus. From agape, love, and anthos, a 

 flower. Linn. ffexandria-Tetragynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Liliacea>. 



The Blue African Lily, A. umbellatus, is a no- 

 ble plant, with thick, fleshy roots, and retains its 

 leaves all the winter. There is a variety with 

 striped leaves. A. albidus has white flowers, 

 but it does not differ from the common kind in 

 any other respect. The African Lilies all require 

 a loamy soil, enriched with very rotten manure 

 from an old hot-bed, loosely shaken down in the 

 pot, but not pressed ; and they should be fully 

 exposed to the light. They should also have 

 plenty of water when they are in a growing 

 state, and be shifted repeatedly into larger pots, 

 each only a little larger than the preceding one, 

 till the flower-buds are formed. The plants are 

 always large before they flower ; and when the 

 flower-stalks appear, the plant should be in a 

 large pot, so that the roots may have plenty of 

 room. They should be abundantly supplied 

 with water, taking care, however, not to let any 

 remain in a stagnant state about the roots. 

 Thus treated, this plant will frequently send up 

 a flower-stalk above three feet high, crowned 

 with twenty or thirty flowers, which will open 

 in succession. It flowers in summer, and forms 

 a noble ornament to an architectural terrace, or 

 a fine object on a lawn. 



Agaricus. Derived from Agaria, the name of a 

 town in Samatia. Linn. Cryptogamia- Fungi. Nat. 

 Ord. Mushrooms (Fungi). 



This is the most extensive genus known in the 

 whole vegetable kingdom, and is divided into 

 several different groups. Some of the species 

 are very beautiful in form and color. Very 

 many are deadly poisonous if eaten, while 

 others, as A. campestris, our common edible 

 mushroom, are rare delicacies. 

 Agave. Century Plant, American Aloe. From 

 agavos, admirable, referring to the stately form 

 in which some of them flower. Linn. Hexandria- 

 Monogynia. Nat. Ord. AmarylKdacea>. 



This celebrated and splendid plant is a native 

 of South America, introduced in 1640. The va- 

 rieties with striped foliage are considered the 

 more desirable as decorative plants. It was at 

 one time a prevailing idea that this plant only 



AIL 



flowered once in a hundred years; but this is 

 found now to be a popular error. If given suf- 

 ficient heat, it will flower when ten or twelve 

 years old. The flower stem rises from the cen- 

 ter of the plant to a height of about thirty feet, 

 bearing an immense number of yellowish-green 

 flowers, after which the plant perishes. New 

 plants are formed around the base of the old 

 one in the form of suckers. It furnishes a vari- 

 ety of products: the plants form impenetrable 

 fences; the leaves furnish fibers of various qual- 

 ities, from that used in the finest thread to that 

 in the strongest rope cables; the juice, when the 

 watery part is evaporated, forms a good soap, 

 and will mix and form a lather with salt water 

 as well as fresh; a very intoxicating drink is 

 also made from the juice, as well as other prepa- 

 rations of a similar nature; the leaves are made 

 into razor-strops, and are also used in scouring 

 all sorts of culinary utensils. 



Ageratum. The colors are constant, always 

 clear; hence the name is compounded of a, priv- 

 ative, and geras, old. Linn. Syngenesia-Polygamia. 

 Nat. Ord. Compositce. 



The species A. Mexicanum, the one usually 

 found in our gardens, is an annual, with small, 

 pale blue flowers, formed in curiously shaped 

 heads. A. angastifolium is a hardy North Amer- 

 ican perennial species, with pure white flowers. 

 Aglamorpha. From aglaos, beautiful, and mor- 

 pha, a form. Linn. Oryptogamia-Filices. Nat. Ord. 

 Polypodiacecv. 



A. Meyeniana, the only species, is a beautiful 

 herbaceous Fern, a native of the Philippine Is- 

 lands. It is propagated by division or from 

 spores, and requires the same treatment as Poly- 

 podium. 



Agrimonia. Agrimony. A corruption of Arge- 

 mone. Linn. Dodecandria-Digynia. Nat. Ord. iio- 

 sacea;. 



A small genus of yellow-flowered, weedy 

 plants, common throughout the United States. 

 The larger flowered, or common Agrimony, is a 

 native of Europe, but has become pretty gen- 

 erally naturalized. They are plants of but little 

 interest. 



Agrostemma. Hose Campion. From agros, a 

 field, and stemma, a crown; referring to the 

 beauty of the flower. Linn. Decaitdr'ia-2'etragynia. 

 Nat. Ord. CaryophyUacea;. 



Hardy perennial, introduced from Russia in 

 1834. Suitable for border plants, their showy 

 red flowers contrasting finely with shrubbery. 

 Propagated by division of roots or by seeds. 

 Agrostis. Bent Grass, Red Top. This is the 

 Greek name for all grasses, from agros, a field. 

 Linn. Triandria-Digynia. Nat. Ord. Graminacea>. 

 A well-known genus of grasses, including A. 

 canina, the Rhode Island Bent Grass, A. stolon- 

 ifera, the Creeping Bent Grass, and A. vulgaris, 

 the common Red Top. These species have all 

 been introduced from Europe, but are now 

 thoroughly naturalized in this country. 

 Ailantus. From ailanto, Tree of Heaven; refer- 

 ring to its lofty growth. Linn. Polygamia-Dicecia. 

 Nat. Ord. Xanlhoxylacece. 



Deciduous trees of rapid growth, natives of 

 China. They were at one time extensively 

 planted as street trees, and should not now be 

 so generally discarded, as they will thrive well 

 in cities and barren soils, making a beautiful 

 shade tree, as well as valuable timber. The only 

 objection that has ever been made to them is the 

 unpleasant odor of their flowers; that objection 

 can be easily avoided. This tree is dioecious, 



