Dracaena 



( 308 ) 



Dracaena 



Other Species : 

 alpina, 3", Ap., yel. (.-//. 



glacialis) . 



aurea, 6", My., bien., yel. 

 bryoides, 4", Mch., yel. 

 ciuerea, 4", Mch., wh. 

 corymbosa, 3", My., wh. 

 cuspidata, 2", Mch., yel. 

 fladuizensis, 1", Ap., wh. 



(*i/. iiivalis of De Can- 



dolle). 



DRACAENA. 



Description. Stove plants (ord. Liliacerc), with 

 very richly coloured and prettily variegated foliage. 



hispida, 3", Aug., yel. 



(syn. trideiitata). 

 inoana, 6", My., ann., 



wh. (syn. coutorta). 

 olyrapica, 4", Je., yel. 



(KI/II. brunifefolia). 

 stellata, 6", Je., wh. 

 tomentosa, 4", Je., wh. 



close pit and frequently syringed, but given 

 little water at the roots. They soon break into 

 growth at the nodes, and the shoots may be taken 

 off and inserted as cuttings. A " heel " of the old 

 wood facilitates rooting. One cutting in a thumb 

 pot is the best plan. The process of " ringing " is 

 a safe and easy method of rooting the tops. A 

 notch is cut just below a joint under the 

 leaves, a narrow ring of bark is removed, or a 

 tongue about i" long is cut through the joint in 

 the same way as when layering Carnations, a small 

 wooden peg being inserted to keep the tongue from 

 closing. The wound is bound round with moss, 

 which is kept moist. In a few weeks young 



AUSTltALIS LEXTIGINOSA IluSSELLII (see p. 30!>). 



They are closely allied to the genus Cordyline, 

 with which they are commonly confused. Most 

 of the Dracsenas of gardens are in reality Cordy- 

 lines, but they are referred to here for garden 

 purposes. The difference between the two genera 

 is chiefly in the character of the fruits, there being 

 generally but one ovule in Dracsena, and many 

 ovules in Cordyline. Dracaenas are amongst the 

 most useful of our foliage plants ; there are 

 many handsome varieties of terminalis (correctly 

 Cordyline terminalis) alone. Many of them are 

 suitable for subtropical bedding, and one species, 

 australis (correctly Cordyline australis), is nearly 

 hardy. As a matter of fact, it is hardy in a con- 

 siderable portion of Ireland ; also in the island of 

 Arran, and on the west coast of Ross-shire, near 

 Poolewe. 



Propagation. By cuttings of the stem, by 



eyes, and by layers. Cuttings root readily at 



all times of the year, although spring is the 



best. A close, warm frame is necessary, and 



__if the cuttings can be plunged in bottom heat, 



"so much the better. After the top has been 



taken off, the old stumps should be kept in a 



roots will have pushed into the moss, and the 

 cutting may be safely severed from the parent 

 plant and potted up. Sorts with thick, suc- 

 culent stems, such as Lindenii and massnngcana 

 (really forms of fragrans), may be expeditiously 

 increased by cutting the stems of the old plants 

 up into lengths, one\,eye in each length. The 

 " eyes " root and grow quickly if placed under 

 the same conditions as the cuttings. The root 

 buds, or " toes," as they are commonly called, are 

 often found upon old plants. All that, is necessary 

 is to cut them off and pot them. They are not 

 unlike Lily of the Valley crowns in appearance. 



Soil. Good loam two parts, chopped up or 

 pulled to pieces, and old Mushroom bed refuse 

 one part, with a sprinkling of coarse sand, for 

 established plants. Equal parts of loam and leaf 

 soil, with sand, form a suitable mixture for young 

 plants. 



Other Cultural Points. Dracscnas do not need 

 large pots, and undue exuberance of growth must 

 be restrained by firm potting. Small pots, firm 

 potting, alight position near the glass, a tempera- 

 ture of not less than tiO F., and plenty of water 



