48 GEEENHOUSE FOLIAGE PLANTS. 



growth and very distinct in the variegation of its leaves. It 

 should be potted in two-thirds loam and one-third of sharp 

 sand and leaf mould. After potting in spring, the plants 

 should receive a little heat till the growth is made, after 

 which the leaves will colour best in a cool greenhouse. They 

 can be trained into a pyramid by frequent pinching ; but as a 

 longer time is required to produce a specimen than by tying 

 the shoots on a trellis, the grower can adopt the style of 

 training which best su.its his purpose. 



CYCAS. 



This is a genus of stately plants, very often included amongst 

 palms, although they belong to an entirely distinct family, 

 but possibly the derivation of the name, which is Greek for a 

 palm, accounts for the mistake. Two excellent species for 

 exhibition purposes are G. circinalis and the G. revoluta. 

 They should be grown in strong loam and sharp sand, taking 

 care not to over-pot them, but rather to feed well when the 

 pots get filled with roots. With the best of treatment they 

 require a number of years to make a specimen ; but when they 

 have a stem of three feet or more, with a large crown of dark 

 green healthy leaves they are among the best of foliage 

 plants. 



DASYLIRIOX. 



A genus closely allied to Yucca, which it resembles in 

 character. The leaves of some of the species, however, are 

 long, narrow, and pendulous, and they form very graceful and 

 interesting specimens for exhibition. Two of the best species 

 with this habit are D. acrotrichum gracile, and D. glaueo- 

 phyllum plumosum. They should be potted in loam, with 

 some peat, sand, and nodules of charcoal. A judicious appli- 

 cation of liquid manure secures the finest foliage, upon which 

 the merit of this class of plants entirely depends. 



DEAC^NA. 



The best of the greenhouse Dracaenas or Cordylines are 

 D. indivisa Veitchii, D. rubra, and D. strida congesta. These 



