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177 



The genera Agave and Furcroea are increased only by suckers, which 

 in some species rise abundantly from the roots. Others, however, seldom 

 show a disposition to produce in this manner, unless the centre of the 

 plant be cut out or destroyed ; hence some of these are still great rarities 

 in the gardens of this country. Seeds of them are sometimes obtained 

 from South America, of which they are natives ; but few of them seed in 

 this country, although one species, Agave americanay flowers frequently, 

 and not once in a hundred years, as is vulgarly asserted. 



Littcea geminiflora veraj the Buonapartea juncea of the gardens, is 

 increased by seeds only, or by destroying the centre of the parent plant, 

 whence a supply of deformed offsets or suckers is obtained. 



The genera RJiipidodendron, Pachidendron, Aloe, Bowiea, Gasteria, Ha- 

 worthia, Apicra, &c., increase readily by cuttings from such species as pro- 

 duce branches, by suckers which arise from many other species ; by seeds, 

 either imported or ripened in this country ; and some of the rarer, which 

 neither form branches^ flower often, nor send out suckers, are increased 

 by the leaves. These should be taken off when easily separated from the 

 plant, and after being slightly dried, laid, not planted, in a pot of mould, 

 kept pretty dry, and moderately shaded ; by this means some of the rarer 

 species, such as Aloe africanum, A.ferox, &c., have been multiphed. 



The genus Echeveria produces abundance of cauhne leaves, that is, 

 small leaves upon the flower stem, which when ripe fall off, and if laid 

 upon the surface of the mould in a pot, wiU send out roots in a few days, 

 and produce perfect plants in two or three weeks. Through ignorance of 

 this simple mode of increase, the writer of these pages has to accuse himself 

 of being the cause of Echeveria grandifolia being lost to this country. It 

 was an imported plant, received by Mr. Tate, of Sloane Square, from Mr. 

 Ackerman, who found it in Mexico ; it flowered in his possession, and 

 was figured by the late Mr. Sweet, in his British Flower Garden. This 

 genus is very hardy, and the species cocciyiea and giblifiora are elegant 

 flowering plants. 



The famihes Cotyledon, Anacampseros, &ic., are readily increased in 

 some instances by cuttings, in a similar way to that of Crasmla, and in 

 others by division of the root: 



EUPHORBIA 



Requires bottom heat to cause cuttings of it to root speedily, and the 

 same may be said of the genus Pedilani/ms. 



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