848 THE BOOK OF GARDENING. 



R. sapida (Areca sapida and Kentia sapida) is another 

 elegant Palm, of more compact habit than -' the preceding, 

 producing some splendid pinnate leaves 4ft. to 6ft. long; 

 the pinna? are very narrow, linear -lanceolate, and clothed 

 with minute scales. This plant is also very useful for table 

 decoration. 



Sabal. — A genus of noble fan-leaved stove and greenhouse 

 Palms, some of which are often utilised in sub - tropical 

 gardening. In their young state they are very decorative, and 

 often reach enormous sizes both in houses and when planted out 

 (as they are in some Southern counties). Sabals in general are 

 extremely robust, and should be more largely grown on account 

 of their valuable properties. They require a rich but light 

 compost, such as a good fibrous loamy soil. Suckers are some-, 

 times thrown up, and may be utilised for reproduction, but seeds 

 are to -be preferred. S. Adansoni is to a certain extent half- 

 hardy, of rather dwarf habit, and a slow grower; it is a handsome 

 decorative variety, and may be employed for sub-tropical gardening 

 with great success. The flabeiliform leaves are supported by 

 petioles varying from 2ft. to 3ft. in length ; the leaves are deep 

 green on the upper surface and silvery below ; the stem, which 

 is extremely short, is partly buried in the ground. S. Black- 

 burniana is another valuable species for sub-tropical gardening, 

 and when young forms a useful plant for indoor decoration. The 

 leaves attain large dimensions ; they are somewhat flabellate, and' 

 divided into narrow pendent segments of a light green ; the 

 petioles are sheathing and smooth, and partly covered at 

 their base by rough fibrous matter. £. mauriticzforme (Trithrinax 

 mauritiaforme) is a very large-leaved stove Palm, reaching 20ft. 

 in diameter; the leaves are glaucous below, and are borne on 

 petioles varying from 7ft. to 8ft. long; the trunk often becomes 

 ift. in thickness and 60ft. to 80ft. high. S. Palmetto (Chamcerops 

 Palmetto) is a useful greenhouse Palm, producing an erect stem 

 20ft. to 40ft. in height, with smooth and concave petioles 

 supporting leaves 5ft. to 8ft. long; it can be employed with 

 great success for various decorative purposes. 5. umbraculifera 

 bears a great similarity to .S. Blackburniana, and is a very robust 

 greenhouse species; the stem, or trunk, often reaches from 60ft. 

 to 80ft. in height, and the petioles support some very dark 

 green leaves. 



Scheelea. — A genus composed of unarmed stove plants, very 

 similar to Attalea. They may be utilised with success for decora- 

 tion in their young state. The leaves are terminal and pinnatisect, 

 and the segments are disposed in series or aggregate. The plants 

 require a compost of peat and loam in equal parts, and are easily 

 propagated by seeds. S. excelsa is a species reaching from 40ft. 

 to soft, in height, with channelled petioles and enormous elliptic 



