GENERAL REVIEW. 



THE COCKSCOMB FAMILY {Amarantacea). 



Herbaceous plants or annuals, rarely shrubs, principally 

 natives of. tropical Asia and America, a few being found 

 in Africa and New Holland. They are represented in our 

 gardens by different species and varieties of Celosia, Ama- 

 rantus, Hablitzia, Trichinium, Achyranthes, Iresine, Gom- 

 phrena, Alternclnthera, and a few others less well known. Of 

 these, Celosia pyramidalis, and the crested forms or " Cocks- 

 combs " Amarantus (Love - lies - Bleeding and Prince's 

 Feathers) and Gomphrena, seed freely, and the seed sown 

 in heat in spring germinates readily like other tender annuals. 

 Trichinium Manglesii is a pretty little plant from the Swan 

 River, which also bears fertile seeds; but it is most rapidly 

 increased by cutting up the root-stocks into short pieces, 

 which are then planted in light soil and placed on a genial 

 bottom -heat to incite their latent buds to break. Alter- 

 nanthera and Iresine have of late years become extremely 

 popular in " carpet bedding," and cuttings of the young growth 

 strike root readily in heat during the spring months. Celosia 

 pyramidalis is one of the most valuable of all autumn-blooming 

 decorative plants, its elegant plumes being of all shades of crim- 

 son, yellow, orange, carmine, magenta, lilac, lake and bright 

 purple, the brilliancy of their colours being most remarkable. 

 The varieties of this plant are generally raised from seeds, but 

 the small lateral shoots may be taken off and struck in heat 

 as cuttings either in summer or in the spring with excellent 

 results: 



THE AMARYLLIS AND KNIGHT'S STAR LILY FAMILY 

 (Amaryllidacea). 



Two of the most beautiful orders of endogenous plants 

 are certainly Amaryllidacese and Liliaceae, which have very 

 many points in common, but may be easily denned by the 

 position of the ovary or seed-vessel, which is outside (in- 

 ferior) the floral envelopes or flower -tube in Amaryllids, 

 and inside (superior) the flower in all true Lilies. To this 

 order belong many of the most lovely of all garden plants, 

 including the Snowdrops and Narcissi of Europe, the 

 Pancratinums and Crinums of the W. Indies, the gorgeous 

 Hippeastrums of Brazil, and the many beautiful forms of HCE- 

 manthus, Clivia, Cyrtanthns, &c., of the Cape flora, and the 



