BOTANICAL INDEX, 
4:t 
can continent, where changes from extreme heat to very cold are often experienced, 
even in a very few hours. Onr correspondent, Mr. Barker, is probably the most 
successful Begonia grower in America, and his experience and observation, even in 
a short article, will have more weight witli plant-growers than a whole volume of 
theories, or even instructions, from a less successful one. We are very glad to have 
the privilege of publishing this communication, and hope it may be our good fortune 
to have more of the same sort from the pens of our practical and successful plant- 
growers. We commend theabove article from Mr. Barker toa careful study. Think- 
ing, perhaps, a few good illustrations would be of value to the article, we have given 
first, a figure of a flower of one of the new hybrids, Fig. 102, of which the varieties 
are legion , and are of all colors and shades of color from deep scarlet to pure white. 
The ilowers, of some varieties, are very large and single, while others are semi- 
double, or even double. Fig. 103 represents a well grown plant in full bloom and 
splendid foliage. Fig. 101 represents a single stem of the well known old variety, 
B. Weltoniensis. — Ed. Index.] 
FLOWERING OF FURCRCEA GIG ANT FA. Vent. 
.MUnDER the above name, is often seen in cultivation, a plant strongly resem- 
VME foling the ordinary Agave or Century plant in general appearance pin fact, 
'liSpt iit, was considered an Agave until a French botanist, Ventenet, divided the 
>t slpl w genus Agave, and arranged under the name of Furcrcea (in honor of M. 
Foureroya) a few species with Ajare feetida (Furcraoi gigantea) as the type. 
jfK This species is a native of South America, and rather extensively introduced 
i into the West Indies and adjoining Islands as a decorative plant, where M. E. 
iReeves, Esq., of Richmond, Indiana, procured two small plants, during a visit there 
i in the Winter of 1869, and brought home to help beautify his already beautiful grounds. 
ilt.is so seldom they bloom in this latitude, that a daily record of the growth of 
i the, flower stem may be of interest. The plants were standing on the lawn, and had 
(commenced to throw up the flower stalk when first noticed, (Aug. 2d) but was still 
(enclosed by three large leaves which soon unfolded. The first plant to flower meas- 
ured eight feet and nine inches, as it stood in the tub, from tip to tip of the longest 
leaves at the base; or each leaf about four feet and two inches long, with five inches 
for thickness of the body of plant. The second plant commenced to throw up the 
flower stem August 12, but was soon removed to the National Soldiers’ Home, Day- 
ton, Ohio, and placed in the Martindale Conservatory, where the flower stem reach- 
ed thirty-four feet in height, and ripened its seed. Both plants were, probably, the 
same age, and about the same size; the Dayton specimen, perhaps, growing a little 
the strongest. The leaves of the first one to bloom were broad and ridged, like all 
Agaves, at the 20th of August, but as the stem increased in height the leav.es gradu- 
ally withered, until by the time the flower stalk was fifteen feet high, the leaves had 
lost their usual tropical growth and vigor; still, however, remaining green. The 
plant was measured every morning about 9 A. M., the foot of the pole used for 
measuring resting upon a leaf close by, and at the same height of the base of the 
flower stem, which was ten and one-lialf inches above the level of the earth in, the 
tub. Being so very tall it would be impossible to protect it without a house built 
especially for its accommodation, which was not thought desirable, and the early 
frosts chilling the flowers they did not come to perfection. After the chilling of the 
plant (Sept. 14th) it grew so little each day that it was scarcely perceptible; but it 
continued to increase in height until it reached 29 feet 2 inches. 
Aug. 2. 
1 ft. 
ry 2 in. 
Aug. 
tl 
24. 
18 ft. 
5 
in. 
Clear and cold nights 
“ 3. 
2 “ 
7 “ 
Air cool with rain. 
25. 
19 “ 
4 
a 
“ 4. 
3 “ 
2 K “ 
Air cold. 
tt 
26. 
19 “ 
7 ^ 
it 
“ 5. 
3 “ 
ny 2 “ 
It 
27. 
20 “ 
4 
it 
. “ 6. 
4 “ 
10 “ 
Thermometer 56° last night. 
(I 
28. 
20 “ 
8 
it 
Cold rain. 
“ 7. 
5 “ 
8 “ 
Warm night. 
tt 
29. 
21 “ 
4 
a 
•“ 8. 
6 “ 
“ 
tl 
30. 
21 “ 
9 
it 
“ 9. 
7 “ 
4 “ 
Cold and rainy, 
it 
31. 
22 “ 
6 
it 
Cold rain. 
“ 10. 
8 “ 
3 “ 
Cold and rainy. 
Sept. 
1. 
22 “ 
8 
tt 
Cold rain. 
“ 11. 
9 “ 
2. 
23 “ 
4 
it 
Clear and cold. 
“ 12. 
9 “ 
6 “ 
3. 
23 “ 
8 
tt 
" 13. 
10 41 
2 “ 
** 
4. 
24 “ 
1 
ii 
“ 14. 
10 “ 
8 “ 
Cool and clear. 
u 
5. 
24 “ 
2 
a 
“ 15. 
11 “ 
i ) 4 “ 
Cool and clear. 
tt 
6. 
24 “ 
4 
n 
“ 16. 
12 “ 
2 “ 
tt 
7. 
24 “ 
8^ 
it 
“ 17. 
13 “ 
10^ “ 
ii 
8. 
24 “ 
11 
ti 
“ 18. 
14 “ 
9 “ 
Hard cold rain. 
ii 
9. 
25 “ 
3 
it 
“ 19. 
15 “ 
6^ “ 
a 
10. 
25 “ 
11 
a 
“ 20. 
1G “ 
i y 2 “ 
ii 
11. 
26 “ 
3 
ti 
“ 21. 
17 “ 
it 
12. 
26 “ 
G 
tt 
“ 22. 
17 44 
4 “ 
Nights cold. • 
ti 
13. 
26 “ 
8 
tt 
“ 23. 
18 44 
a 
14. 
26 “ 
9 
tl 
