AGAVE— ALOE. 



201 



erroneously said to flower once in a hundred years. Plants of the larger growers are 

 suitable for growing in some conservatories, and out-doors in the summer; other species 

 are equally ornamental, but require much less room. All can be increased by suckers, 

 when these can be obtained, and it is also possible to raise plants from seed. The 

 following species are to be met with in limited collections of Cacti and succulents : — 

 Agave Celsiana. — Mexico ; leaves, glaucous, twenty to thirty in a rosette, 1 to 2 feet 

 long and 4 to 5 inches broad, furnished with strong, horny spines ; flowers purplish- 

 brown. A. coccinea. — Mexico; leaves, twenty to thirty in a dense rosette, green, 

 1 to 2 feet long, and 4 to 6 inches broad, side prickles, and long terminal spines. 

 A. lophantha. — Mexico ; leaves, thirty to forty in a rosette, dull green, rigid, 2 to 3 

 feet long, \\ inches broad; flowers greenish, in a dense spike. A. Salmiana.— 

 Mexico ; leaves, twelve to thirty in a dense rosette, glaucous green, 2 to 4 feet long, 

 4 to 6 inches broad, long terminal spines ; flowers greenish-yellow. A. Victoria? 

 Eegina. — Mexico; leaves, forty to fifty in a sessile rosette, rigid and dwarf, green 

 with white vertical bands and terminal spines ; one of the best. A. dalapensis. — 

 Mexico ; leaves about thirty in a rosette, rigid, 1 to 2 feet long, 2 to 5 inches broad ; 

 bright green. 



ALOE. 



A few of these Liliaceous plants are well worthy of general cultivation. They are 

 propagated by seeds, and should be grown in the full sunshine. They come to us 

 principally from the Cape of Good Hope. The following may be chosen for cultivation : — 

 A. arborescens. — Branching or tree-like ; leaves green, 1 to 2 feet long, 2 inches broad 

 at the base, with marginal prickles ; flowers reddish. A. a. frutescens is more shrubby 

 or dwarfer. A. humilis. — Leaves glaucous green and lined, thirty to forty, in a dense 

 rosette, 3 to 4 inches long and proportionately narrow, marginal prickles. A. longiaris- 

 tata. — Of dense growth, leaves broad at the base, tapering sharply to a point, spotted 

 (Fig. 123). A. Serra. — Leaves green, swollen, with a saw-like arrangement of prickles. 

 A. variegata. — Leaves close and erect, 4 to 5 inches long, 1 inch broad, green, lined 

 and spotted with grey. An old favourite window plant, A. vulgaris.— Syn. A. vera. — 

 Stem attains a height of 1 to 2 feet ; leaves green, copiously spotted with grey, margin 

 whitish and denticulated. A group of Aloes with Epiphyllum Kussellianum is given on 

 the following page. 



VOL. III. 



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