THE LILY FAMILY. 365 



Aloe. A genus of succulent Liliaceous plants from the 

 Cape of Good Hope. They must not be confounded with the 

 species of Agave, or American Aloes, as they are popularly and 

 erroneously called greenhouse plants, easily propagated from 

 stem-cuttings, offsets, or seeds sown in a gentle heat of 60 to 

 70. To secure seeds, it is generally necessary to cross-fertilise 

 the flowers. They are nearly related to Gasteria, Haworthia, 

 &c. ; and some curious hybrids might possibly be obtained be- 

 tween these genera. Economically they are valuable, one or 

 two species producing a useful medicinal drug. Hybrid Aloes 

 have been raised by Mr R. J. Lynch, the parents being A. 

 albodncta and A. grandidentata. 



Blandfordia. A handsome group of Australian Lilyworts, 

 with grassy or sedge-like leaves and erect spikes of drooping 

 orange-scarlet or yellow bell-shaped flowers. B. marginata, B. 

 nobilis, B. grandiflora, and B. Cunninghamii are sometimes 

 met with in cultivation as greenhouse plants, and are pro- 

 pagated either by dividing established plants or from seed. 

 Singularly enough, the handsomest plant in the whole group is 

 a hybrid, and this fact ought to lead cultivators to improve this 

 genus still more by raising seedlings or by hybridising. Seeds 

 germinate best sown as soon as ripe in a gentle bottom-heat of 

 60 to 70, care being taken to drain the seed-pans thoroughly, 

 as these, like most other half-tender Liliaceous seeds, are liable 

 to suffer from damp. 



B. flammea elegans is a very showy hybrid, obtained by inter- 

 crossing B. flammea and B. Cunninghamii. It was raised by 

 Messrs E. G. Henderson & Son, of St John's Wood (see 

 ' Floral Mag.,' 1874, t. 134). 



Dracaena (Dragon -Trees). Foliage - plants of noble habit 

 from Australia, the South Sea Islands, and other tropical 

 countries. The flowers are readily fertilised ; and when this is 

 the case, most species seed freely. Many variegated forms 

 have been raised in English and Continental nurseries from 

 home-grown seed. The flowers are borne on long-branched 

 spikes, and the stamens contain a copious supply of pollen. 

 After fertilisation, a one or two seeded berry or fruit is formed. 

 The seeds should be sown in pots or pans of light sandy earth, 

 and soon germinate if placed on a genial bottom-heat in a 

 close case. 



D. indivisa not unfrequently ripens an abundant crop of 

 fertile seeds even in the open air, especially in Devon, Corn- 

 wall, and other sheltered counties in England and Ireland, and 

 these open-air seeds are found to germinate very vigorously. 

 The green-leaved forms are the hardiest, and of noble habit, 



