530 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



plant with white flowers nearly an inch across, and A. 

 grandiflora, with larger hairy leaves and Stephanotis-like 

 flowers, are useful for the greenhouse. Loam and peat. 



"A 







y^J^ 



T» V^W^ 



^ 





NTT~- 



s^j^^ 73^ %\ 









Fig. 641.— Aralia crassifolia. 



Arundinaria. — Bamboos, some of which are suitable 

 for the greenhouse. They succeed best in loam, and should 

 be transplanted at the commencement of the growing 

 season. The following are Himalayan: — 



A. falcata. Leaves pale-green; stems 12 feet high. 



A. Falconeri An elegant plant, 15 feet high. 



A. hoolceriana. A coarser-growing plant than the foregoing. 



A. nobilis. Very like A. balconeri. 



Asparagus. — Bushy or climbing, deciduous or ever- 

 green plants, invaluable for floral decorations or as decora- 

 tive pot or basket plants. The berry-like fruits of several 

 are ornamental. A. falcatus and A. vmbcllatus are worth 

 growing for their flowers. Loam and peat. Seeds, 

 division, or cuttings. 



A. crispus. Dwarf, with slender twisted steins. Small pale- 

 green leaves and inflated fruits. S. Africa. 



A. davurictis. Deciduous, very like the common Asparagus; 

 suitable for baskets. 



A. falcatus. A strong grower. Stems 30 feet long, armed \\ ith 

 stout prickles; leaves 2 inches long; free bloomer. Good for 

 pillars. Tropical Asia and Africa. 



A. medeoloid.es (Myrsiphyllum axparagoides), "Smilax". A 

 climbing plant with ovate leaves. Useful for cutting. S. Africa. 



A. vlumosus. An elegant, useful plant for masses or baskets. 

 S. Africa. Var. nanus has flat, frond-like branches, and is largely 

 grown for market. 



A. Sprengeri. Small deep-green leaves, red fruit. Good basket 

 plant. Natal. 



.4. umbellatus (fig. 642). A handsome climber, shoots 20 feet long; 

 olive-green leaves an inch long, and bearing in autumn umbels of 

 starry-white flowers a quarter of an inch across Canary Islands. 



Babiana. — Dwarf bulbous plants from S. Africa, with 

 hairy, plicate leaves and brilliant - coloured, Ixia-like 

 flowers. B. disticha, pale -blue; B. plicata, purple; B. 

 stricta and varieties, blue, red, yellow, or white ; B. tuhata, 

 yellow and red ; and B. tubifiora, red. 



Backhousia myrti 'folia. — A Myrtle -like plant with 

 terminal corymbs of white flowers succeeded by rose- 

 coloured persistent calyces. Peat and loam. Cuttings. 

 Australia. 



Banksia. — Australian evergreen shrubs which require 

 to be grown in a cool, airy house in well-drained pots, in 

 a mixture of fibrous peat, loam, charcoal, and bits of sand- 

 stone. The flowers are arranged in large cones. 



B. grandis. Handsome pinnatifid leaves a foot long. 



B. integrifolia. Oblong leaves 6 inches long by 1 inch wide. 



B. marginata. A bushy plant with small blunt leaves. 

 B. serrata. Very strong; corky bark; serrated leaves; flower- 

 heads 4 to 6 inches long, 3 inches wide. 



Blandfordia. — Australian bulbs with Rush-like leaves 

 and large bell -shaped, yellow or orange - yellow flowers 

 in umbels or racemes. Summer. Sandy peat in well- 

 drained pots. B. aurea, yellow ; B. Cunninghamii, red 

 and yellow ; B. marginata, orange-red ; and B. nobilis, 

 orange with paler margins, are the best. 



Bomarea. — South American climbers, with flowers 

 like Alstromeria; should be grown on the rafters of a 

 sunny greenhouse. Loam and peat. 



B. acutifolia. Scarlet and yellow flowers in large umbels. 

 B. Caldasiana. Yellow with scarlet spots; very free. 

 B. Carderi (fig. 643.) The largest. Flowers in very large, loose, 

 drooping umbels, pink and green with crimson spots. 

 B. patacocensis. Large umbels of dark-red flowers. 



Boronia. — Australian shrubs, with usually pretty, red, 

 rose, or brown fragrant flowers. Should be grown in a 

 cool, airy house and carefully watered, especially in winter. 

 Fibrous peat. 



B. elatior. Leaves pinnate, flowers rosy-red in dense clusters 

 along the upper half of the young branches. 



B. heterophylla. A compact bush with crowded erect branches, 

 pinnate leaves, and numerous globose bright-red flowers. Spring. 



B. megastigma. Flowers brown and yellow; very free ami 

 fragrant. Spring. 



B. serrulata. A dwarf plant with simple leaves; very flori- 

 ferous; flowers deep-rose. 



Bossiaea. — Elegant shrubs from Australia, with pretty, 

 yellow, Pea-shaped flowers. B. cinerea, yellow marked with 



Fig. 642.— Asparagus umbellatus. 



purple ; B. foliosa, yellow and orange ; B. heterophylla, 

 yellow and red; B. scolopendria, yellow and red. Late 

 spring. Peat. Seeds or cuttings. 



Brachysema. — Australian Leguminosae with long 

 scandent shoots and ovate leaves ; flowers red. Cool 

 greenhouse. Peat. The best known are B. acuminatum, 

 with silvery, ovate leaves an inch long, and red flowers 



