7D ( 



Gardening for Amateurs 



soon outgrow their cramped space, but 

 should any require larger pOts, repotting is 

 carried out in the spring or early summer, a 



The American Aloe (Agave americana) in 

 bloom. 



compost consisting of loam and sand being 

 used. 



Of the numerous succulent plants grown 

 in gardens the following are the most 

 important : 



Agave. The best known of the numerous 

 Agaves is one popularly termed the American 

 Aloe (Agave americana). It is erroneously 

 said to flower once only in a hundred years, 

 hence it is called the Century Plant. The 

 facts are, however, that it takes very many 

 years to attain flowering size, and after 

 blooming the main plant dies, leaving some 

 offsets to perpetuate the species. It is a 

 stemless plant, with long fleshy leaves, and 

 forms a noble object in the conservatory or 

 for placing out on terraces or similar posi- 



tions during the summer months. There 

 is an attractive variety with variegated 

 leaves. Should this Agave need repotting 

 the work must be done in spring, using a 

 fibrous Icam with which broken brick rubble 

 and sand are mixed. Most of the Agaves are 

 natives of Mexico and adjacent countries, 

 where they form a striking feature. Very 

 few are in cultivation in this country, and 

 the brief description given of Agave ameri- 

 cana applies generally to most of them. 

 Agave ferox has immense, thick, prickly 

 leaves, while those of Agave applanata are 

 long, namnv, and grey. 



Aloe. The Aloes, which are natives 

 principally of South Africa, are also numer- 

 ous. Some of them are quite dwarf plants, 



Showing the collapse of the plant after the 

 flowers have faded. 



while others attain tree-like dimensions. Of 

 the latter Aloe Bainesii will reach a height 

 of 40 to 50 feet, the naked stem being 



