Gardening for Amateurs 



675 



of long, leathery, strap-shaped leaves, often 

 5 or 6 feet long and 3 inches wide, are pro- 

 duced from a common rootstock. Increase 

 is by removing fresh growths which arise at 

 the base and by seeds. There are forms with 

 green and variegated leaves. 



Sorghum vulgare, the Guinea Corn, is 

 a useful grain and fodder plant in tropical 

 and semi-tropical countries. Here it may 

 be grown from seed in spring for decorative 

 garden work during summer. It grows 

 5 to 6 feet high 

 and forms hand- 

 some leaves. 



Zea May, the 

 Indian Corn, is 

 a handsome plant 

 when grown in 

 rich, moist soil. 

 Seeds may either 

 be planted in 

 pots or out of 

 doors ; if the 

 former method 

 is adopted, care 

 must be taken 

 that the plants 

 are not kept 

 long in small 

 pots before being 

 planted out, for 

 they soon be- 

 come stunted. 

 Varieties with 

 variegated leaves 

 may be procured, 

 and both these 

 and green- leaved 

 kinds are excel- 

 lent for grouping 

 near the water 

 side or for plant- 

 ing in beds of 

 mixed ornamen- 

 tal foliage plants. 

 Zizania aqua- 

 tica is a North 

 American grass 

 that may only 

 be grown suc- 

 cessfully in rich 

 mud which is 

 covered by a few 



inches of water. It is an annual, and grows in 

 a few months from the seedling stage to the 

 adult plant 10 to 12 feet high. In addition 

 to bearing bold foliage, it produces long 

 terminal panicles of flowers. The flowers 

 are followed by rice-like seeds, called 

 Indian rice. A peculiarity of the seed is 

 that it may only be kept alive through- 

 out winter by storing it in water. It is a 

 good plan to sow seeds under glass in March 

 and plant out the seedlings in May. 



The Club Palm (Cordyline or Dracaena austrahs). 



