Arachis 



Aralia 



compact plants of alpina or albiila are required, 

 to clip them back severely after blooming. They 

 will soon sprout again. 



Principal Species : 



albida, 9", Mch., etc., wh. A useful plant, 

 closely resembling alpina, but having larger flowers, 

 grey and less toothed leaves. There is a pretty 

 variegated form. The new double var. will please 

 everyone. 



HOW TO PROPAGATE ARABIS (ROCK CRESS). 



A Division of Variegated White Rock Cress (Arabis albida 

 varie-ata): a, portion of old root stem with roots; b, 

 yi'iui^ growths from base; c, crowns; rf, depth of in- 

 serting in soil. 



B Double crown slip (a side growth slipped off close to 

 stem): e, portion of rootstock ; /, stem without roots ; 

 0, points of detaching for cuttings ; h, depth of insert- 

 ing slip in soil. 



. 



C s. ction of thumb pot (2j") : ;, drainage ; j, sandy soil ; 

 *, space for holding water; /, cuttings properly pre- 

 pared and inserted (four in a pot). 



. 

 D Rooted cutting in the autumn from pot, showing dwarf, 



compact, branching habit of plant ; m, bull of soil ; n, 



depth of planting. 

 E Slip of White Rock Cress (Arabia albida) : o, base of slip ; 



<7, depth of inserting in si til. 

 F Division of White Uock Cress : r, portion of rootstock ; 



n, depth of inserting in soil. 



alpina, ft", Mch., etc., wh. Very like the pre- 

 ceding, but more compact. 



arenosa, t>", My., ro. A pretty rockery plant. 



blepharophylla, 5", Feb., pale pur. Kather 

 tender for cold districts. 



lucida, <i", Je., wh. The type is not worth 

 growing when the variegated form can be got. It 

 has pretty yel. and grn. leaves. It makes a hand- 

 some edging, but does better in cold than in warm 

 districts. 



procurrens, 8", Mch. to My., wh. A neat plant, 

 surpassed in beauty by its prettily variegated form. 



verna, 5", My., pur. The only good ann. species. 

 It is effective in a mass. 



Other Species and Varieties : 

 bnllulifolia, 9", My., wh. japouica, 9", My., wh. 

 bryoiclcs, >", Je., wh. rauralis, C", My.", wh. 



-cicrulea, 3", Ap., pale bl. Stelleri, 6", Je., wh. 

 Million, 8", Ap., ro., wh. Sturii, 9", My., wh. 



ARACHIS. 



Dwarf herbs (ortl. Leguminosas), in some cases 

 prostrate, and numbering seven species, of which 

 one (hypogaaa) is grown in the economic stoves 

 of botanical gardens in this country. It is grown 

 in many tropical countries of the Old and New 

 World for the sake of its edible seeds. After the 

 flowering period the fruiting stalk lengthens to 2" 

 or 3", and, gradually bending downwards, pushes 

 the young pod into the ground, where it enlarges 

 and ripens into a pale yellow, slightly curved, and 



wrinkled pod containing two seeds as large .is 

 Peas. These pods are sent over to this country in 

 large quantities under the name of Earth Nuts, 

 Ground Nuts, or Monkey Nuts. Propagation is by 

 seeds in a stove. Fibrous, mellow loam with a 

 large percentage of sand suits. 



Principal Species : 



hypoga^a, 1', My., Je., yel. 



ARACHNANTHE. 



This genus contains two of the most remark- 

 able species of Orchids (ord. Orchidaceas) in 

 cultivation, namely, Cathcartii and Lowii, the 

 flowers being large and handsome. They are 

 propagated by taking off the branches and root- 

 ing them. Use a compost of sphagnum, finely 

 broken crocks, and charcoal over a considerable 

 depth of clean crocks. Temperature in winter 

 55 to (>0 ; in summer not exceeding 75. 



Principal Species : 



Cathcartii, 3' to 4', Mch., Ap., yel., densely 

 threaded with red br. and red lines. Requires 

 a damp atmosphere at all times, and shade. 



Clarkei, 1' to lj', Sep., Oct., chest, br., barred 

 yel. Likes more "sunshine. 



Lowii, 3' to 5', Sep., Oct., red or choc. br. 

 with yel. blotches (syn. Renanthera Lowii). 



Rohdeniana, dwarfer, with smaller leaves 

 than the type, and flowers brighter. 



ARALIA. 



Description. A large genus of perennial 



herbs and shrubs (ord. Araliaceie), the latter 



being the more numerous. All are valued for 



the sake of their ornamental foliage. The hardy 



herbaceous species may be grown in horders, of 



in beds of plants in the subtropical garden. The 



same applies to the few hardy shrubs, such as 



chinensis and spinosa. These have large and 



handsome leaves, prickly stalks and stems, and 



are majestic subjects either for the centre of 



subtropical beds or to fill large beds entirely 



with a groundwork of something beneath, 



f as the leaves are confined to a tuft on the 



top forming the season's growth. They are 



deciduous. The others are stove or greenhouse 



shrubs, mostly the former, and make handsome 



table plants. The leaves in some species are 



simple, long and finger-like or strap-shaped ; but a 



much greater number have palmate leaves, with 



three, five, nine, or a greater number of leaflets, 



the leaf in the latter case being almost circular in 



outline. Those enumerated below are shrubs, 



except where otherwise specified. 



Propagation. The hardy herbaceous species by 

 division of the rootstock, keeping a bud to each 

 piece. They are perfectly deciduous. The green- 

 house and stove species by cuttings of the mature 

 wood in sandy soil in a moderate bottom heat, or in a 

 propagating case. Veitchiiand its variety gracillima 

 do not root readily by this process, but succeed 

 well by grafting the tops on pieces of the roots of 

 roticulata and some other species. Chabrieri 

 (Elseodendron orientale) does not readily make good 

 plants when side shoots are used as cuttings. 

 Upright shoots from the top of plants that 

 have been cut back for stock should therefore 

 bi 1 used. 



Soil. Any good garden soil, if well drained, will 

 meet the requirements of the hardy species. The 

 stove and greenhouse species may be grown in 

 good, fibrous loam, with half a part of leaf mould 

 and sufficient sand to render it porous. A small 



