J4 



THE FLORISTS* MANUAL. 



We mention it as a variety rather 

 than a species, because it seems prob- 

 able that this fern is a form of Adian- 

 tum capillus-veneris, or else a cross 

 between that species and A. cuneatum, 

 its origin being somewhat obscure. 

 But be this as it may, the fern in ques- 

 tion is a very attractive plant of dwarf 

 and sturdy growth, the fronds being 

 almost upright, having black Ftems 

 and rather large pinnae that are in- 

 clined to be cristate. 



A. Wiegandii is compact in habit 

 and in a large plant reaches a height 



AECHMEA. 

 See Bromeliads. 



AERIDES. 



See Orchids. 



AGAPANTHUS. 



A genus of strong growing, hand- 

 some greenhouse plants which do well 

 out of doors during summer, and when 

 slightly protected will live through 

 the winter where there is not more 

 than 10 degrees of frost. In the 



Adiantum Wiegandii. 



of 12 to 15 inches, aHd holds its foliage 

 in good condition during the winter. 

 This fern comes freely from spores, 

 the latter being plentifully borne by 

 plants a year old and upwards, and the 

 seedlings soon become satisfactory 

 plants in 3-inch pots if treated in the 

 same manner as A. cuneatum, a night 

 temperature of 60 degrees being a 

 proper mark at which to carry these 

 ferns. 



But little trouble is experienced 

 from "damping" of the foliage with A. 

 Wiegandii during the winter, even 

 when grown quite close together, the 

 regular use of the hose having less ef- 

 fect upon this fern than is often found 

 with adiantums of low and compact 

 habit. Thoroughly matured fronds 

 stand well when cut, and the small 

 plants will last longer than those of A. 

 cuneatum in a fern pan, providing 

 they are not used in too soft a condi- 

 tion. 



south of England A. umbellatus does 

 well planted out of doors, with us it 

 requires large pots or tubs and thrives 

 in a well enriched coarse loam. In 

 summer you cannot well over water 

 them. In winter they can be stored 

 under a bench in a cool house and will 

 then require very little water. But be 

 careful after so keeping them all win- 

 ter not to expose them to a late spring 

 frost or they will suffer and their 

 beauty be marred for the whole sum- 

 mer. They grow very fast and can be 

 rapidly multiplied by division. 



The varieties are all from A. um- 

 bellatus, introduced into Europe from 

 South Africa two centuries ago. Its 

 erect stem and showy umbel of bright 

 blue flowers is familiar to all. The 

 best known varieties are albidus, pure 

 white; aureus, leaves striped; varie- 

 gatus, smaller but finely variegated 

 leaves; and maximus, a blue of the 

 largest size, as its name denotes. 



AGAVE. 



This noble genus includes a great 

 number of species, one of them at 

 least being known to every one the 

 well known "Century Plant." All the 

 species have one characteristic: when 

 fully matured they send up a stately 

 flower spike from the center of the 

 crown of leaves and then die. This is 

 the case with the great majority, al- 

 though there are a few that continue 

 to flower year after year. They are 

 almost all from Mexico, a few from 

 South America and one or two from 

 our extreme southwestern states. 



There is a widespread fallacy in con- 

 nection with Agave Americana. It is 

 popularly supposed that they live 100 

 years and then flower and die, hence 

 the familiar name. They will not 

 flower till they have made their full 

 growth, but that may be 50 years or 

 75 years. We remember a pair of A. 

 Americana that we had watched from 

 infancy, one the plain green and one 

 variegated. They were of immense 

 weight, each weighing a ton or more 

 with the large tub and soil. About 

 1856 they both flowered together and 

 sent their candelabra-like spikes 25 

 feet in the air. It was a remarkable 

 co-incidence that both showed flower 

 the same season as no one knew their 

 ages and the one who had taken them 

 as suckers from the parent plamt was 

 long gone from his field ^of labor. 



Within 40 years there have been 

 several distinct and beautiful species 

 discovered in Mexico, some of which 

 have not yet flowered and no knowl- 

 edge of their flower is available. Most 

 of the species are stemless, but not all. 

 their fleshy leaves radiating symmet- 

 rically from near the base of the plant. 

 Nicholson's Dictionary of Gardening 

 enumerates nearly one hundred spe- 

 cies and then states there are many 

 more which it is not worth while to de- 

 scribe as there is only one specimen of 

 each in cultivation. They vary in size 

 from 18 inches in height and the same 

 in width to the majestic species of 10 

 feet in diameter. 



The smaller species make beautiful 

 plants for the greenhouse or for out- 

 door decoration, and the large species 

 are noble objects for the adornment 

 of large grounds but get very heavy 

 and awkward to handle when of any 

 considerable size. Few plants will put 

 up with the rough treatment that is 

 often given the agave. Their thick, 

 succulent leaves provide them with 

 the means of resisting long periods of 

 drought. 



The same general treatment will 

 suit all the species. A well drained 

 pot or tub, with good turfy loam; add 

 leaf-mould or sand if heavy. They will 

 stand the strongest sun out of doors 

 and should receive plenty of water. 

 In winter, if you wish merely to store 

 them for next season's growth they 

 will do very well in any cool house or 

 even shed, but must not freeze, and 

 when the temperature is low they will 

 do without water for weeks. They 

 are easily propagated by suckers, 



