772 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



Fig. 512.— Agave Americana. 



drooping strap-like leaves are banded -with pure white (Fig. 

 513), and armed with spines of a similar colour. Plenty of water 



in summer and very little 

 in the winter, and a good 

 rich soil, are the conditions 1 

 under which these plants 

 will flourish in our homes. 

 There are several 

 Eulalias with varie- 

 gated foliage which 

 make most graceful 

 pot-plants, and which 

 may be grown with- 

 out much trouble. 

 E. japonica foliis- 

 variegata is one of 

 the best. These 

 plants should have 

 plenty of water in 

 summer. 



To the above fairly long list of plants which are chiefly 

 grown 1 for their foliage, we might well add such subjects as Rex 

 Begonias and the 

 lovely Coleus ; but, 

 ornamental as these 

 undoubtedly are, 

 they require some- 

 thing more than an 

 ordinary window to 

 increase the stock, 

 and for details as to 

 their propagation the 

 reader is referred to 

 the Chapter " On 

 Bedding Plants." 

 There are a number 

 of very useful Coni- 

 fers which might be 

 utilised even for in- 

 door decoration, but 

 they are certainly 

 more at home in 

 the outside window 

 boxes, and they will 

 be dealt with later FlG S 1 3-~ Pandanus Candelabrum variegatus. 

 in that connection. 



Ferns, again, constitute some of the hardiest and most useful 

 window and room plants that can be named. 



