52 ALOE 



constriction of the perianth below the middle. Lvs. 12-15, in 

 dense rosette, lanceolate, channelled, bright green ; prickles con- 

 nected by a narrow horny line : tis. pale salmon ; bracts awl- 

 shaped, pnrplish. Tape? BM.e520.-*A.Hoiih„riAna-l.-A. 

 l,Hn;ic,i„tl,„. 11 -.1. HiUhhmndtu. Bak. St. l'.,-J tt.: inter- 



red, U.: 



r=13. 



Scroph- 



ALONSOAl.\l.iii/.,/,:,,,..,M,-l.:,lil-li li 



ulariiicew. Triip. Aimr. ijhiiits, cult, as annuals 

 open, or rarely grown in pots. They are tender, and need 

 protection from frcst. Seeds are usually started under 

 glass in the N., although plants bloom well from seeds 

 sown directly in the open. Use only finely prepared soil. 

 Fls. showy; plant of good habit. The corolla is very 

 irregular and turned upside down by the twisting of the 

 pedicel, brinfcinf? the larger lobe uppermost : stamens4: 

 lvs. (at lfa«t b.'lciw) opposite or in 3's. Cult, species 

 mostly fi-MiH I'.in :iii.l M,x. 



incisifolia, l.'iu/, .V I'.iv. ( A. urticcefdlia, Sort. CMsia 

 urtlciffblia. Mi,,~, l'...M. 417). About 2 ft. high, erect: 

 lvs. ovate lu u\ul-lanceolate, long-stalked, deeply cut- 

 toothed: tls. nearly J-ain. across, very irregular (some- 

 what hood-shaped), scarlet, with protruding organs, on 

 slender axillary peduncles. Also a white-fid. var.— An- 

 nual; but perennial in warm countries or under glass. 



Var. Warscewlozii, Boiss. (A. Warsceivtczii , Kegel. 

 A. grandifldrn, Hort.). Pis. larger (often 1 in. across), 

 rose-red, the plant more herbaceous and more perfectly 

 annual. Also white-fid. — The commonest form in our 

 gardens. 



myrtifdlia, Roezl. Plant 2-3 ft. : lvs. broad-lanceolate, 

 canaliculate, prominently serrate: fls. large, scarlet (a 

 white var. ). — Perennial under glass. Useful for winter- 

 growing in pots. 



linifdlia, Roezl. Plant IKft. or less high: lvs. lanceo- 

 late or narrower, entire: fls. bright scarlet. 



A . acuHtblia, Ruiz & Pav. Lvs. less cut than in A. incisifolia : 

 scarlet.— A. caullaldta, Ruiz & Pav. Lvs. less cut than in incisi- 



folia : fls. smaller: st.i-angled.— A. imedris, Ruiz & Pav. Lvs. 

 linear, entire or vei-y nearly so, often fascicled : fls. scarlet. 

 Crreenhouse.— 4. Jl/drAewsii, Benth, Lvs. lanceolate, toothed : 

 fls. scarlet, in terminal racemes. Greenhouse. . tt p 



ALOtSIA. S,i. Lippia. 



ALPINE GARDENS. In the successful culture of 

 aipim- plants, tin- most important point is to give them 

 as near tlieir natural alpine conditions as possible. So 

 far as soil is concerned this is not diflScult, but when it 

 comes to moisture with good drainage and surrounding 

 atmospheric conditions, especially in the dryer atmos- 

 phere of some of our western states, we have a more 

 diflicult task. In their natural homes, many of the al- 

 pines are found growing under very similar conditions 

 to our bog plants, and the two classes, for the most part, 

 may hi_- brought together in cultivation. Of course, the 

 iimiimimIm rriiiiul;i iiii^lit iii-vrr witlistand tlji- stagnation 



iiidr 



■■' ' ;m II. i]-air 111 tlM- w.t I..I--. iiMT- ^li.iiil.l we expect 



iIh. l',l(,,iMh-a I., sin-MN,- Ihr HUiliy l.hisls f. which the 



I'liiuuhi 1.^ exposed, but the two niay be grown together 

 with very good results in a moist, springy situation, in 

 the same bed and soil. Any light, sandy soil, well 

 drained, but through which water is constantly passing 

 in and out, so that there is no stagnation and always a 

 little moisture on the surface (which makes it cooler 

 from the evaporation), will answer for most of the bog 

 plants and the majority of the alpines also. There 

 should be a natural slope to the surface of the ground 

 for such conditions, and if the surface is undulating, so 

 as to make some parts drier than others, those plants 

 which require the most moisture can go into the wettest 

 places. Alpines like a deep soil, into which their roots 

 can penetrate. Leaf-mold should be used in place of 

 any ma:iure, and if the soil is a very fine one a mixture 

 of gravel should be introduced. Shade and sun are 

 rather necessary, as some of the alpines would hardly 

 stand thu full scorching sun of our hottest days in sum- 

 in. r. . \. II though the surface of the soil were moist, 

 t ■ .1.. IS require full sun. Alpines have been suc- 

 . I 1 : : L'mwn in sphagnum moss. This is done with 



■ ■ I ■:. ■'. V. nil III.' 1 1 . -h 1 1. 1 1. 1 III.- plants set in it. 



V, ,.'.r ti..i.''l In . II. .ugh to keep the 



' .. • . - I -I i I .■ . II in.m the wet moss 



. r.Mi. - :i .■..'.1 III iii..-|.; :■ 1 . ■ | .jants, thus giving 



ihriu a cuuiliUuu s I.I ,! which they have in 



ulpiue regions, surri. III. i . iiniii fogs, or in the 



moist bog. Manyali.iii , : ■- are not confined to 



alpine situations. Th. ^ i, n i-t places in much 



lower altitudes as «._i;_ Mi.li -(.....jit-s as Houstonia 

 cwndea, Pamassia Cin-nlinianu, and Smilacina stellata 

 may be mentioned among these. Most of the alpines, 

 when set in the fresh, damp sphagnum, do nicely in full 

 sun. but for tlie alpine ferns shade should be given. 



Th..-.- >-. III. Ii -!■..« in.lr-i.T |.h,.-.-, likr thr llttlo Woodsiu 



ijhil- .. II '■ /'./■. .1. 11. -..I I.-- chilli.' nil. I moisture, 



F. H. HORSFOKD. 



ALPtNIA (Prosper Alpinus, an Italian botanist). 

 ScitaminAcecf. Stove herbs, cult, both for lvs. and the 

 racemes or panicles of fls. The fl. has 3 exterior parts 

 and 4 interior parts. The lowermost part is lobed or 

 tubular. Stamens with petal-like filament. They need 

 high temperature, much water, light soil, and abundance 

 of room. After flowering, allow them to rest in heat, 

 but do not dry them off. Prop, by dividing the ginger- 

 like roots. 



Alpinia contains many handsome species, but only a 

 few are common in cultivation . They are tropical plants, 

 and require a moist air and a temp, of 55° to G0° F. A 

 mixture of 2 parts loam, 1 part leaf-mold, and 1 part 

 dried cow-manure forms an excellent compost. While 

 growing, they need an abundance of water, and the large- 

 growing kinds require large pots or tubs. The plants are 

 prop, by division in the spring. A. tmtans is grown for 

 its handsome fls., and attains a height of 12 or 13 ft. A. 

 vittata is popular en account of its variegated foliage. 

 A . mu/iea has very showy fls., but is probably not in the 

 American trade. Cult, bv Robert Ca.meron. 



