494 PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GARDEN PLANTS eupatoeium 



linear bracts. Eeoeptacle naked. Pappus 

 composed of several curved scales, broad 

 at the base. 



Culture and Propagation. — Agera- 

 tums like a light rich soil, and are among 

 some of the most showy plants used for 

 beds and borders during the summer. 

 The dwarf er sorts make excellent edgings, 

 or they may be planted to form a carpet 

 between taller-growing Zonal Pelargo- 

 niums. They seed freely, and a small 

 quantity saved every year will be sufficient 

 to raise hundreds of plants in spring. The 

 seed must be sown about February or 

 March in slight bottom heat. When 

 large enough the seedlings may be pricked 

 out into shallow boxes, or separately into 

 small pots to make sturdy plants by the 

 end of May. During the summer they 

 may also be increased by cuttings, and if 

 seeds are prevented from ripening, the 

 plants become more or less perennial. 

 But they are scarcely worth this trouble, 

 as they must be wintered in greenhouses 

 until the following May, and this is an 

 important point where space under glass 

 is limited, and required for more impor- 

 tant plants. 



Ordinary light sandy garden soil will 

 suit the plants well, and by pinching out 

 the tips of the young shoots numerous 

 side branches will be developed and in- 

 crease the nmnber of feathery flower- 

 heads. 



A. Lasseauxi. — A native of Monte 

 Video, li-2 ft. high, with lanceolate 

 elliptic leaves, and heads of rose-coloured 

 flowers in summer. 



Culture tic. as above. 



A. mexicanum. — This is the best 

 known species, and its varieties are largely 

 grown for bedding purposes every year. 

 It is a native of Mexico, and grows 

 naturally aboiit 2 ft. high, with ovate, 

 coarsely toothed leaves, and a profusion of 

 lUac-blue, fluffy flowers in summer and 

 autumn. There are several dwarf, free- 

 flowering varieties, among which the 

 following are the best : Cupid, rich blue ; 

 Countess of Stair, pale blue ; Queen, 

 silvery grey ; Snowflake, white ; Swanley 

 blue, very deep blue ; Mauve Beauty, rich 

 mauve ; and others more or less desirable. 



Another Mexican species is A. Wend- 

 laiidi which grows 4-8 in. high, and forms 

 dense masses of grey-green downy leaves, 

 above which appear large greyish-blue 

 flower-heads. There is also a white- 



flowered variety which is quite as free- 

 growing as the type. 

 Culture do. as above. 



EUPATORIUM.— A genus contain- 

 ing upwards of 400 species, very few of 

 which are of garden value. Leaves opposite, 

 rarely alternate, entire, toothed, or rarely 

 dissected. Flower-heads purpUsh, bluish, 

 or white, in terminal corymbs. Keceptacle 

 naked. Pappus rough. Bracts of the 

 involucre imbricate in 2-3 rows. 



Culture and Propagation. — The 

 Eupatoriums are coarse-growing plants 

 more suitable for rough parts of the 

 garden than the flower border. They 

 grow in any boU, and may be increased 

 by division of the roots in autumn or in 

 spring. Seeds may also be sown in bottom 

 heat about March, and the young plants 

 when large enough may be pricked out 

 into shallow boxes or pots, and grown on 

 until about the end of May, when they 

 may be transferred to the open ground. 

 Seeds may also be sown in cold frames 

 as soon as ripe, but the seedlings cannot 

 be planted out with safety until the follow- 

 ing spring. 



E. ageratoides.— A native of North 

 America 1-4 ft. high, with ovate, rather 

 heart-shaped, stalked and coarsely toothed 

 leaves. Flowers in summer, pure white, 

 numerous, in compound corymbs. 



Culture dc. as above. 



E. aromaticum. — A sturdy N. Ameri- 

 can species 3-4 ft. high. Leaves usually 

 shortly stalked, rounded, toothed. Flow- 

 ers late in summer, white, in loose 

 corymbs. 



Culture dc. as above. 



E. cannabinum {Hemp Agrimony). — A 

 handsome native perennial, with downy 

 stems 2-4 ft. high. Leaves with 3-5 

 lance-shaped, serrate leaflets. Flowers in 

 July, reddish-pm-ple, m terminal tufts. 



Culture tfc. as above. 



E. glechonophyllum.- -A tufted Chiliaai 

 species lJ-2 ft. high with oval acute, 

 coarsely toothed leaves. Flower-heads 

 pure white borne in corymbose clusters 

 during the summer months. 



Culture dc. as above. This species 

 is best treated as an annual like the 

 Ageratmiis, and may bo raised from seeds 

 sown in gentle heat in spring, or in au- 

 tumn in cold frailies. In both cases the 

 seedlings can be placed in the open border 

 at the end of Ma\ . 



