172 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



are broad and trifid, somewhat resembling a Ber- 

 beris, armed with a spine on each lobe, bright deep 

 green ; racemes on all the shoots, few- flowered, bright 

 red, passing into primi'ose-yellow ; style very long. 

 April and JMay. West Australia. 



G. Preissii. — The foliage of this species is most 

 elegant, segments very fine and narrow, and brilliant 

 green ; racemes terminal on all its shoots, dense ; 

 flowers slightly hairy, rosy-pink, tipped with green ; 

 an abundant bloomer. March and April. South- 

 west Australia. 



G. robusta. — This species is cultivated for its beau- 

 tiful ornamental foliage only, and when young is 

 admirably adapted for table or room decoration. It 

 is the Silk Oak of the Australian colonist, and 

 attains the height of one hundi'ed feet, producing 

 large panicles of orange-coloured flowers. In this 

 country, however, it has never flowered. The leaves 

 are much di^•ided and light green. It produces the 

 best effect when kept to a single stem, 



G. rosniarinifoUa. — A superb and robust-growing 

 species, with narrow erect leaves, nearly two inches 

 long, deep green above, hoary beneath ; racemes 

 produced on the points of all the shoots, many- 

 flowered, colour rich deep red. February and March. 

 New South Wales. 



Habrothamnus.— This name literally signifies 

 *' gay shrub," and they are said to be amongst the 

 most beautiful of aU the Mexican plants. They 

 belong to the order Solanacece, and are tall-growing 

 plants, with long shoots, well adapted for covering- 

 pillars, rafters, or a back wall in a conser\atorv, but 

 do not conform well to pot-culture. For soil, use 

 peat and rich loam in about equal parts. 



if. elegans. — A strong, robust plant, with large, 

 alternate, entire, broadly-lanceolate leaves, which 

 are dark green and sHghtly pubescent on the under 

 surface ; flowers tabular, produced in large, dense, 

 terminal, di-ooping panicles, deep reddish - pui'ple. 

 These, if fertilised, are succeeded by bright rosy-red 

 fruits, resembUng large bunches of grapes ; it flowers 

 nearly the whole year round, but is specially prolific 

 during winter and early spring. There is a variety 

 of this plant with the edges of the leaves broadly 

 margined with white, which affords a pleasing con- 

 trast, but it is rather delicate in constitution. 



H. faseicuIatns. — 'Lea.Ye^ ovate, entire, pubescent, 

 dark green ; flowers in dense terminal heads, rich 

 crimson-scarlet. Spring months. Like the pre- 

 ceding species, it is a native of Mexico. 



Hardenbergia.— A family of cHmbing plants, 

 producing beautiful Pea-shaped flowers, mostly blue, 

 a colour that is always very acceptable. They are 

 nearly allied to Kennedy a, but their flowers are much 

 smaller than any of the last-named family. 



Hardenbergias are all plants of easy culture, and 

 rapidly clothe a treUis or pillar in the green-house, 

 and furnish a rich abundance of their beautiful 

 flowers. For soil, use loam and peat in about equal 

 parts, adding a portion of sand to keep the whole 

 open. 



H. cor data. — Leaves heart-shaped and dark 

 green ; racemes many-flo^'^red ; blooms pale blue. 

 April and May. Swan River. 



H. Comptoniana. — Leaves trifoliate ; leaflets blunt- 

 oblong, dark green : racemes many-flowered ; bloom 

 scarlet. Spring and early summer months. Aus- 

 traha. 



H. monophylla. — Leaves simple, lanceolate, dark 

 green ; racemes many-flowered ; bright blue. It 

 blooms during the greater part of the season. South 

 Australia. There is also a variety having its leaves 

 variously blotched and striped with yellowish- 

 white. 



Haworthia. — A family of plants very much re- 

 sembling miniature Aloes, and to which they are 

 very nearly allied. They have been separated from 

 that genus, and named in honour of the distin- 

 guished botanist, Haworth, and are characterised 

 by their tubular flowers being erect, and the limb 

 two-lipped, and by theii- seed-vessels being more or 

 less ribbed. Haworthias require a little more atten- 

 tion than their near relations, the Aloes and Gaste- 

 rias, requiring shade from the fiercest rays of the 

 sun during the summer months, and a little more 

 heat in winter than is given the ordinary denizens 

 of the green-house, and they cannot suffer much 

 di'ought without soon being injuriously affected 

 tbereby. 



Some of the species have beautiful translucent 

 leaves, others are plain and smooth, and some have 

 ciu'iously verrucose and variegate J leaves, whilst 

 another section, often called Apicras, have very 

 crowded, stiff, cuspidate leaves, and an erect growth. 



Haworthias should be kept in small pots, and these 

 • drained well ; the soil to consist of light loam and 

 broken brick and mortar rubbish : they are very 

 slow in growth, and are usually increased by 

 suckers. 



The following list contains a selection of the most 

 beautiful kinds : — 



H. albicans. 

 H. araclmoides. 

 H. aspera. 

 H. atrovireus. 

 H. attemiata. . 

 H, Bolusii. 

 H. biillata. 

 H. concava. 

 H. coarctata. 

 H. claripeiia. 

 H. coDgesta. 

 H. cusiDidata. 

 H. cymbsefolia. 



H. erecta. 

 H. fasciata. 



foliolosa. 

 imbricata. 

 , loete-virens. 

 , longiaristQta. 



niargaritifera. 

 , mirabilis. 

 H. mucronata. 

 H. papillosa. 

 H. parva. 

 H. pentagonc, 

 H. planifolia. 



