8o4 



THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



A. atrovireris. Small-growing sorts : A. cuspidata, A. ensifera, 

 A. horrida, A. filifera, A. mexicana, A. Regelii, A. striata, 



A. albicans, A. ferox, and 



A. rigida. 



Aloes. — The true Aloes 

 come from the Cape of 

 Good Hope. They differ 

 from the Agaves chiefly 

 in having long and rather 

 thin stems, which, when 

 the plants are large, re- 

 quire support, in having 

 brittle leaves without fibre, 

 and in flowering freely 

 without dying immedi- 

 ately afterwards. They 

 are handsome subjects, 

 and the flowers of many 

 species are very beautiful. 

 If the plants get too 

 lanky for the house in 

 which they are growing, 

 the top may be cut off 

 and easily rooted in almost 

 dry soil in spring. Aloes 

 are readily propagated by 

 suckers, and also 

 from the leaves. 

 There are a very 

 large number that 

 are well worth 

 growing, amongst 

 which the following 

 may be mentioned : 

 A. qfricana, A. 

 arborescens, A. abys- 

 sinica, A. cmsia, 

 Fig. 542.— Agave Americana. A. frutescens, A. 



Greenii, A. lineata, 

 A. platylepis, A. spicata, A. striata, A. tricolor, and A. variegata. 



Cotyledons. — Many of these are handsome plants, and are 

 very easy of culture ; they mostly come from South Africa, and 

 are allied to the Crassulas. Sorts : C. atropurpurea, C. carnicolor, 

 C. coccinea, C. cristata, C. glauca, C. Peacockii, C. stolonifera, and 

 C. rotundifolia. These were formerly known as Echeverias. 



Crassulas. — These are very ornamental flowering plants, with 

 thick, fleshy leaves ; they come from South Africa, and are easily 



