CHAP. V. ORNAMENTAL TREES, SHRUBS, ETC. 349 



steins about fourteen inches high, which produce in March 

 flowers with their lower part of a vivid crimson and the ends of 

 the petals of leaf-green colour. I brought down plants of this 

 species from Ootacamund, which have thriven well and blossomed 

 yearly ever since. 



Olivia. 



1. C. nobilis, and 2. C. Gardeni : Cape bulbous plants, bear- 

 ing heads of beautiful tubular drooping flowers, have of late 

 been introduced ; as well as Imantaphyllum cyrtanthifolium and 

 I. miniatum, but I know not with what success. 



Agave. 



Plants with large, fleshy, thorny-edged leaves, producing 

 greenish unattractive flowers. A. bulbosa is of late introduc- 

 tion. 



A. Americana variegata AMERICAN ALOE. Leaves creamy 

 white, striped with green ; has a noble aspect grown on a lawn 

 where there is plenty of room ; delights in brick rubbish in 

 which abundance of leaf-mould is incorporated. 



Littsea. 



L. geminiflora. A curious plant, with large porcupine-quill- 

 like leaves covered with whitish hairs ; throws up an immensely 

 long spike of rather large greenish flowers : not blossomed here 

 that I am aware of. 



Fourcroya. 



F. Cantala. Often employed as a hedge, its thorny leaves ren- 

 dering it an impenetrable barrier ; being of comparatively low 

 growth it has the advantage of not impeding the view or screen- 

 ing off the air. 



Nearly all of this order are bulbous or rhizomatous plants ; 

 many natives of the Cape of Good Hope, the cultivation of which 

 in Bengal is for the most part rarely attended with success. It 

 is not worth while to mention many more than what are known 

 to thrive and blossom satisfactorily here. 



