438 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



mens the young plants must not be allowed to j coloured green and cream-yellow. It is largely 

 get a check, but potted on frequently into a | grown for table decoration. D. Goldieana, also 



from west tropical Africa, is an 

 anomalous species with broad, 

 zebra-marked leaves. It thrives 

 under the treatment described 

 above. 



The following is a list of the 

 best sorts: — 



Baj3tistii 



Lindeni. 



Bausei. 



Lord Wolseley. 



Beali. 



Massangeana. 



Cooperi. 



Mrs. Wills. 



Doucettii. 



Norwoodiensis. 



Gladstonei. 



Princess Charles 



Godseffiana. 



of Denmark. 



Goldieana. 



Sanderiana. 



Ignea. 



Shepherdii. 



Jamesii. 



Terminalis. 



Laingii. 





Fig. 541.— Dracaena Godseffiana. 



rich compost — loam, peat, and dried cow-manure 

 in equal parts with sand being suitable. They 

 should not be potted firmly. A position near 

 the glass in a hot, sunny, moist house is best 

 for them. Here they should be syringed over- 

 head at least twice a day, and in the afternoon 

 the house should be closed early to catch the 

 last of the sun's heat. They must be shaded 

 from bright sunshine. Thrips and spiders only 

 attack them when the conditions are not exactly 

 suitable. With this treatment it is possible to 

 grow, in eighteen months, plants 6 or 8 feet high 

 with healthy leaves down to the pot, and the 

 upper ones richly coloured. For ordinary decora- 

 tion less liberal treatment is requisite ; the pots 

 may be smaller, and the soil pressed in firmly, 

 but unless the plants are kept regularly moist 

 and clean they are certain to lose their lower 

 leaves. 



The group represented by D. austral is will 

 be dealt with elsewhere. The other two groups, 

 which are true Dracaenas although so different 

 in habit and foliage, require the cultural treat- 

 ment detailed above. D. Godseffiana is a useful 

 decorative plant of recent introduction from 

 West Tropical Africa. Another pretty plant 

 from the same region is D. Sanderiana (fig. 542), 

 which has comparatively short, elegant leaves 



Epiphyllum.— There are three 

 species of Epiphyllum, two of 

 which, E. truncatum (fig. 543) and 

 E. Bussellianum, have long been 

 in cultivation. They are the 

 parents of the numerous varie- 

 ties grown in gardens. They 

 are of slow growth, and not at all difficult to 



Fig. 542.— Dracaena Sanderiana. 



manage; they do not occupy much room, and 

 are alike suitable for large or small houses. In 



