Avena 



(95 ) 



Azalea 



grower ;ire usually aphides or green fly, and a 

 IIMI.T which infests the collar and roots. The 

 former can lie removed by fumigating carefully or 

 hy dipping the plants in a preparation of a good 

 insecticide ; while the latter must be exterminated 

 liy I, iking the plants out of the pots and washing 

 them with a i-olution of soft soap. 



A Selection of Varieties. There are so many 

 good florist-*' Auriculas in cultivation that it is 

 with difficulty that a selection of moderate numbers 

 can be given. Those named below will form tin; 

 nucleus of a good collection, which can be added 

 to by exchange or otherwise as opportunity offers. 

 Many of the newest varieties are not in com- 

 mcive. 



Green-Edged. Abbe Liszt, General Neill (Trail!). 

 John Garrett (Adams), Prince of Greens (Trail)), 

 licv. F. D. Horner (Simonite), and Shirley Hibberd 

 (Siniorjite). 



llrfij - l-'dtji'il. Colonel Champneys (Turner), 

 Hi-urge Klidd (Woodhead). Highland Mary (Low). 

 Mabel (Douglas). Hichard Headlcy (Lightbody), 

 Silvia (Doughs). 



\\lute-Edged.-A.ctuc. (Read), Dr. Kidd 

 (Douglas), Heather Bell (Simonite). Mrs. Dodwell 

 (Woodhead), and Reliance (Mellor). 



Nelf. Black Bess (Woodhead). Buttercup 

 (llurner), Rev. Charles Kingsley (Douglas), Ruby 

 (Simonite), Sapphire (Horner), and Vulcan 

 (Sims). 



. 1 1 /lines. -Dean Hole (Turner). Defiance (Turner). 

 Diadem (Gorton). Duke of Yuri-; (Douglas). Edith 

 Lodge (Douglas). Evelyn Phillips (Phillips), Friend- 

 ship (Douglas), George Lightbody (Turner), John 

 I'.i -wick (Turner). Lord Dudley (Douglas), Mrs. 

 Harry Turner (Turner), Mrs. Patrick Campbell 

 (Douglas). Sam Barlow (Turner). 



Itorder Varietiet. Some very beautiful Auric- 

 ulas can lie raised from purchased seeds, but a 

 few named varieties are given for those who wish 

 to have such : 



Critic King, yel., Dusty Miller, yel., Grace 

 Darling, vio., John Daltoii. pur., Yellow Queen, 

 yel., and Old Double Yellow, a scarce old plant. 

 Queen Victoria and other of Storrie's seedlings are 

 fine border plants. 



AVENA. 



A genus of Grasses (aril. Graminea?), of which 

 the well known cereal the Oat is the chief member. 

 Sterilis, the animated Oat. is remarkable for the 

 length of its awns, which possess hygromctric 

 properties. l.V toi''. hardy. Propagation by seeds, 

 in ordinary garden soil. 



AVENUE. 



A path or carriage drive bordered on each side 

 by a row of trees When the trees are well 

 planted and properly cared for an avenue is a 

 most effective feature, either in a public or private 

 park. The width of the path or carriage way will 

 depend upon individual taste. Where Sequoias and 

 other Conifers of pyramidal habit arc planted it 

 may be as little as W. hut where Limes, Elms, 

 Oaks, or other forest trees are favoured the width 

 must lie proportionately greater, to allow of the 

 spn-ad of the branches in the full-grown trees. 

 Asa rule a bold curve is an excellent idea to aim 

 at. but even the much decried straight line is not 

 to be despised. In any ease, a winding design 

 with many sharp curve-* should be avoided. 



The Horse Chestnut makes a splendid avenue 

 tree, witness the far-famed Chestnut Avenue at 



Bushey Park. The trees are especially handsome, 

 both when in flower and when clad in their 

 autumn tints. The Spanish or Sweet Chestnut is 

 another capital subject, but in most places the 

 trees do not make such fine heads as the Horse 

 Chestnut. 



Oaks are very imposing, but slow-growing, and 

 thus, where the planter wishes to see some of 

 the results of his labours, they are not to be 

 thought of. 



Limes are great favourites by reason of their 

 compact and graceful habit. The White Poplar is 

 a quick growing and hardy tree, suitable for wet, 

 clayey soils. The Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus 

 Libuni) is very stately, although it is not so 

 graceful as its relative the Deodar (C. Deodara). 

 Elms have acquired an unenviable notoriety for 

 being dangerous on account of their falling limbs, 

 but this is an instance where the skill of the 

 forester should be applied. There is no tree that 

 boasts a more graceful growth than the Elm. 

 Cryptomeria elegans and Araucaria imbricata are 

 both suitable, and the False Acacia, Kobinia 

 Pseudacacia, is a far better .avenue tree than many 

 j people imagine. Either single or double rows may 

 be planted. If double rows they should forma 

 series of triangles. Irregular clumps of dwarf 

 shrubs should be introduced here and there to 

 break the monotony of the lines and to obviate 

 the suggestion of bareness. 



AVERRHOA. 



Stove shrubs (nnf. Geraniacese) of no great 

 j value. Propagated by cuttings of firm side shoots 

 | in sand, in brisk bottom heat. Soil, equal parts 

 | of loam and peat with sand. 



Principal Species : 

 | Bilimbi, 8' to 10', My., Carambola the Cnrain- 



red pur. (Cucumber bola Tree 14' to 2u', 



Tree.) roil. 



AVERRUNCATORS. 



Pruning shears of a peculiar pattern, mounted 

 j upon a pole of varying length. The cutting blade 

 works into a hook-shaped sheath by which the 

 branch which is to be removed is grasped. The 

 power is applied, by means of a small lever handle 

 at the bottom of the pole, anil transmitted from 

 the lever to a stout wire which runs from the 

 lever to the cutting blade. This wire is secured 

 in its place by a number of strong iron "eyes." 

 The tool is handy for the removal of branches that 

 would otherwise be out of reach, and the larger 

 makes are equal to the negotiation of fairly thick 

 wood, but the cut made is naturally attended with 

 a gi ji H 1 deal of bruising and crushing, and the con- 

 trivance is not to be recommended for general 

 pruning purposes. 



AYENIA. 



Stove plants (ord. Sterculiaceae) of no particular 

 value. Two species (Isevigata, 2', scarlet, ever- 

 green, and pusilla, 1', August, purple) are occa- 

 sionally met with. They are propagated by cuttings, 

 and thrive in a mixture of three parts of loam, one 

 part of peat, one part of decayed manure, and 

 some sand. 



AZALEA. 



A genus (ord. Ericaceae) comprising some of the 

 most popular of greenhouse and hardy plants, 



,1 mix (AW 



Ai'i'i-nilii (.ti 

 Azalmxtntm 



. 



I'i'rxea). 



