December 9 , 1880 . ] JOTJRjSA.Ii OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 527 
may be potted several together in light, sandy, rich compost in 
small pots. While growing they like a moist heat. They are of 
climbing habit, and are well suited for training up pillars iu con¬ 
servatories. After being hardened off a cold pit is adapted to 
their requirements, giving attention in dry weather, as they are 
liable to be attacked by the red spider. When in full bloom 
during the late autumn and winter they are very beautiful. The 
species I have grown are Loasa lateritia, beautiful and curious ; 
L. Herberti, and L. aurantiaca, a telling plant in the greenhouse 
or conservatory during winter.— Adanson. 
DRACAENAS FOR TABLE DECORATION. 
Among the numerous plants now in demand for table decora¬ 
tion few excel the narrow-leaved Dracaenas in gracefulness and 
general utility. They are easily and quickly grown to a suitable 
size, and they endure the dry atmosphere of rooms much better 
than the majority of plants employed for such purposes, except 
some Palms. The elegance of their habit also renders them pre¬ 
eminently fitted for occupying the centres of tables, as their 
foliage is not too dense or too obstructive—disadvantages which 
appertain to the broad-leaved forms in the same genus, and to 
other plants with large leaves. Such qualities as those enume¬ 
rated are sufficient to account for the partiality with which they 
are regarded by all who have employed them in decoration of the 
kind under consideration, and indeed they cannot be too highly 
recommended to the attention of those who have only the means 
to grow the most useful plants. 
The numerous handsome hybrids that were raised by Mr. Pause 
and sent out by Mr. John Wills include several of the best narrow¬ 
leaved forms in cultivation. One of these, D. jucunda, the result 
of a cross between D. limbata and D. concinna, is represented in 
Fig. 94 .—Dracaena jccunda. 
the woodcut, fig. 94, which has been supplied by the General 
Horticultural Company. This, as the engraving shows, is an effec¬ 
tive and graceful form, erect in habit, with narrow leaves slightly 
drooping towards their apex. The colour of the leaves is a bronzy 
green margined with bright crimson. It is remarkably free of 
growth, and altogether a really useful and pretty table plant. 
Another similarly elegant plant is D. Ernesti, obtained by cross¬ 
ing D. concinna with D. terminalis ; it is rather more compact 
in habit than the one first described, the leaves being more 
arched. The colour is, however, similar, the margin being a some¬ 
what deeper tint of crimson. D. Sidneyi is a third form of con¬ 
siderable elegance. One of its parents was the same as that of 
D. Ernesti—namely, D. concinna, the other was D. Regina ; but it 
is very distinct, and especially noteworthy for the early stage in 
which the foliage become fully coloured, a quality that parti¬ 
cularly adapts it for table decoration. The leaves are deep green, 
with a purple midrib and a bright rosy margin. D. aurantiaca, 
a slender-growing and attractive form, has the same parentage as 
the one described last. The leaves are longer than the others, 
narrow, green, with a clearly defined orange-coloured margin, the 
young leaves being of a similar tint. D. superba is equally 
worthy of attention, for it is graceful in habit and bright in 
colour, the arching green leaves being edged and streaked with 
crimson. These five Dracaenas would constitute a valuable collec¬ 
tion wherever table plants are in demand.—L. C. 
Soil for Asparagus.—I f Mr. Nunns (see page 503) had dug 
into the beds the same quantity of Beech or Oak leaves that he 
did of dung I think be would have done the soil much more good. 
The leaves are best gathered dry in the autumn, and dug plenti¬ 
fully and deeply into the ground twelve months previous to plant- 
