916 



PB ACTIO AL GUIDE TO GABDEN PLANTS 



AGAVE 



rally grown, and is largely cultivated in 

 greenhouses to supply the requirements 

 of floral artists. They are known as 

 Double African, Double American, Double 

 Italian, and Pearl Tuberoses, the latter 

 being the favourite as it does not grow so 

 tall as the others. 



Culture and Propagation. — Thetuber- 

 ous rootstocks, or bulbs as they are popu- 

 larly called, may be planted in the flower 

 garden about the end of May when all' 

 danger from severe frosts is practically 

 past. They will grow in ordinary garden 

 soil, but prefer rich well-manured loam, 

 with a fair supply of water while growing. 



In the mildest parts of the country 

 the plants may be left in the soil during 

 the winter, but should be protected with 

 leaves, straw, or litter, and kept as dry as 

 possible. Or in less favoured spots the 

 bulbs may be taken up about the end 

 of September, and stored in sand in a 

 dry frost-proof place until the following 

 season. On the whole, however, perhaps 

 it is best to buy fresh strong imported 

 bulbs every year, as they are not likely to 

 ripen sufficiently well in this country to 

 produce good crops of bloom for more 

 than one or two seasons. 



BRAVOA. — A genus containing 4 

 species of perennial plants with tuberous 

 rootstocks, and a few long lance-shaped 

 or linear radical leaves, and red or whitish 

 flowers in distant pairs. Perianth with a 

 long rather cylindrical tube and short 

 ovate or oblong nearly equal segments. 



B. geminiflora {Scarlet Twin Flower). 

 A graceful and distinct Mexican plant, 

 growing wild at an elevation of about 

 7000 ft. It has a round tuber about IJ 

 in. in diameter, with very fibrous coats at 

 the top, and pale green narrow sword-like 

 leaves 12-18 in. long. The bright red or 

 scarlet nodding tubular flowers about 1 

 in. long are produced from July onwards 

 in distant pairs on erect stalks 1-2 ft. high. 



Culture and Propagation. — This is 

 the only species generally grown, and 

 from the Thames Valley southwards may 



be regarded as practically hardy if grovm 

 in warm sheltered positions. In winter it 

 is safer to protect the plants, especially in 

 northern parts, from frost and cold rains. 

 A rich sandy loam and leaf soU suit it 

 best, and new plants may be obtained 

 from the offsets in autumn or early spring, 

 or by means of the seeds which should be 

 sovrai as soon as ripe in cold frames, and 

 grown on for a year before planting out. 



AGAVE. — ^A genus of noble-looking 

 plants with rosettes of fleshy sharp-pointed 

 and often toothed leaves, and tall cande- 

 labra-Kke spikes of funnel-shaped greenish- 

 yellow flowers, which, however, are rarely 

 produced. The plants are not hardy, but 

 A. america/na and its variegated form are 

 so well known that they require men- 

 tion. They are large plants with rosettes 

 of 30-40 or more fleshy sharp-pointed 

 spiny toothed leaves 3-6 ft. long and 6-9 

 in. broad, glaucous-green, and more or 

 less deeply channelled down the face, the 

 outer leaves being recurved. The varie- 

 gated form has broad white or pale yellow 

 stripes from base to apex. As the leaves 

 are unfolding from the centre it is curious 

 to note the impression of their shape and 

 spines on the inner leaves against which 

 they have been pressed. 



Culture amd Propagation. — These 

 plants are usually grovm in large tubs or 

 pots, and placed in more or less conspicu- 

 ous positions in the garden from June to 

 September, for the sake of their fine 

 tropical appearance. In the winter they 

 must be protected in a greenhouse. These 

 large plants mature very slowly, and die 

 after sending up a spike of flowers 20-40 

 ft. high. 



Some species from the colder parts of 

 N. America might be grown out of doors 

 in the south of England and Ireland, but 

 I fear our chmate is too moist for them 

 in winter. They can stand frost well in 

 their native habitats, but not the raw cold 

 moisture of the British Islands. Most of 

 the kinds are easily increased by the offsets 

 which spring from the base of the plants. 



CXXIII. IRIDEiE— Flag Order 



An order of perennial herbs often with a woody, creeping, or stolon-bearing 

 rootstock or rhizome, and usually smooth radical, equitant, flat linear or 

 sword-like leaves in 2 rows, those of the stem alternate and sheathing. 

 Plowers hermaphrodite, usually regular, borne on terminal bracteate spikes, 



