XANTHOSOMA. ' 331 



Dragon's Blood is obtained from some of these plants, and 

 imported under tte name of "Black Boy Gum." These 

 plants should be potted in a mixture of peat, loam, and 

 sand, in equal parts. 



X arborea. — This species developes a stout stem, which 

 is sometimes branched ; the leaves are long, somewhat 

 triangular, and slightly glaucous, Native of Australia. 



X. australis. — The accompanying woodcut will give an 

 excellent idea, not only of this species, but of most of the 

 arborescent kinds. The leaves of X. australis are not 

 three-cornered, as in the preceding plant, but are sword- 

 shaped. Native of Australia. 



X. Jiastile. — Stem short, so far as we at present know 

 this plant ; fhe leaves are sword-shaped, and somewhat 

 glaucous. It is known also by the name of X. media. 

 Native of Australia. 



Xanthosoma. 



This is a very fine genus of Aracece, but it requires con- 

 siderable space for its accommodation under glass. The 

 species are, however, of hardy constitution, and wUl bear 

 crowding together during winter, and in summer, after 

 being properly hardened, they may be planted with much 

 advantage in a sheltered comer of the garden, where their 

 large leaves give quite a tropical appearance to the scene. 

 Plant in rich loam and river sand. To increase these 

 plants the suckers must be taken ofi", or when the plant 

 gets old and forms a stem, it should be cut down, and the 

 stem cut into small pieces, and placed in a warm close 

 frame in some light soil. 



X. sagittcefolia. — A fine large-growing plant, sometimes 

 found in gardens under the name of Arrnii sagittcefolia, but 

 by no means of recent introduction. The leaves are from 



