822 



PBAGTIGAL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS asphodelus 



stand the atmosphere of a dwelling-room, 

 but keeps green and healthy out of doors 

 in winter time. There is a variegated 

 form with a greenish-red stripe down the 

 centre. 



Culture dc. as above. 



Y. rupicola (Y. contorta). — A stemless 

 Yucca, native of Texas, with dense rosettes 

 of sharp-pointed sword-like leaves 1^-2 ft. 

 long, often twisted, smooth above, roughish 

 beneath, and with pale and serrulate 

 edges. The white flowers tinged with 

 gr^en on the outside appear during the 

 summer and autumn months. 



Culture dc. as above. 



Y. treculeana. — This is a magnificent 

 species from N. Mexico and Texas, and 

 when full-grown has much-branched 

 stems 20-25 ft. high and 1-2 ft. in 

 diameter. The masses of sword-like 

 leaves are 2-4J ft. long, and over 3 in. 

 broad, deeply channelled in front, strongly 

 pointed, and having reddish-brown edges, 

 which in a young state are slightly serru- 

 lated. As they increase in age they also 

 gradually pass from a graceful recurving 

 position to a stiffer and more erect one. 

 The white bell-shaped flowers appear in 

 summer in dense panicles 2-4 ft. long, 

 with long narrow segments. Y. canali- 

 culata is a variety having smaller flowers 

 and deeply channelled leaves about 2 ft. 

 long, and is altogether a smaller plant 

 than the type, which is known in gardens 

 under many names, such as agavoides, 

 conca/oa, contorta, cornuta, revoluta, and 

 undulata. 



Culture dc. as above. This species 

 assumes fine proportions in the mildest 

 parts of the kingdom. 



CORDYLINE (Club Palm). —A 

 genus of beautiful Yucca- or Palm-like 

 plants with more or less woody stems, 

 often stoloniferous at the base, sometimes 

 tree-like, with sessile or long-stalked 

 more or less leathery leaves. Flowers 

 small, white, in branched panicles, rarely 

 produced on young plants. Fruit a few- 

 seeded berry. 



C. australis. — A beautiful and graceful 

 New Zealand plant with stems 10-40 ft. 

 high when fuU-grown, and tufts of oblong 

 lance-shaped gracefully arching or erect 

 leaves 2-3 ft. long, with distinct parallel 

 veins. When well developed dense masses 

 of white sweet-scented flowers are pro- 

 duced. 



Cultu/re and Propagation. — A warm 

 rich loamy soil suits this species very well. 

 It may be increased by offsets, or seeds 

 when obtainable and sown in gentle heat. 



This is an excellent plant for lavms 

 and gives a sub-tropical aspect to the 

 garden. It is quite hardy and has been 

 known to stand 20° of frost in the south 

 of Scotland without injury, although the 

 tops were killed after being subjected 

 to about 25° for a few nights. In the 

 spring, however, the shoots from the base 

 sprang up strong and healthy, and being 

 detached ultimately made fine plants. 



C. Banksi and C. indivisa are suitable 

 for the very mildest and warmest spots 

 in the kingdom, but are not so hardy as 

 C. australis. C. indivisa and its forms, 

 especially lineata, atropurpurea, and 

 Veitchi, are very handsome and flourish 

 in the SciUy Islands and warm parts of 

 Cornwall, and in the south of Ireland. 

 In mild winters they would also probably 

 succeed in other parts of the kingdom in 

 sheltered spots, if given protection in 

 frosty weather. 



ASPHODELUS (Asphodel) ,— A 

 genus of plants having small rhizomes, 

 clusters of flsBhy roots, and radical linear 

 strap-shaped, somewhat 3-sided, or round- 

 ish hollow leaves. Flowers white or 

 yellow, the perianth segments having a 

 brownish line or nerve down the centre. 

 Stamens 6, hypogynous, alternately long 

 and short. Capsule leathery 3-sided few- 

 seeded. 



Culture and Propagation. — Asphodels 

 flourish in deep sandy well-manured 

 loam, and may be used in the decoration 

 of borders and shrubberies. They are 

 readily increased by dividing the roots in 

 early spring, or by sowmg seeds at the 

 same period in gentle heat or cold frames. 

 The latter is a slow process and hardly 

 worth troubling about, as it takes some 

 years to rear really good flowering plants. 



A. albus. — A native of S. Europe 

 about 2 ft. high, with smooth keeled linear 

 leaves, and clusters of white flowers 

 produced in May and June. 



Culture (tc. as above. 



A. comosus. — A Himalayan perennial 

 1^-2 ft. high, related to A. ramosus, but 

 differing in the long bracts which protrude 

 beyond the flowers, and iu the much-pro- 

 jected stamens. The glaucous sword- 

 shaped leaves are about 18 in. long, and 



