roots can freely extend amongst the porous earth. In our stoves they grow readily either in a 
fine and open compost of sandy loam, peat, and leafinould, or in one composed chiefly of turfy 
peat, provided the conditions of a moist tropical climate are maintained, and a sufficient supply 
of moisture is given to keep the roots at all times supplied with food; the pots must however 
he thoroughly drained, so that no stagnant water may collect in the soil. They are propagated 
by means of the sucker-like small side shoots, which may generally he obtained with roots if 
they issue from beneath, or in contact with the surface of the soil; or, if otherwise, must he 
treated as cuttings, and planted like the suckers of a Bromeliaceous plant.—II. 
U 
THE ALOE FAMILY. 
lift HE family of the Aloes—one of the largest groups of succulent plants—is now so seldom met with 
II in cultivation, that its members fairly rank among what may be called neglected plants. Yet 
they comprise species of considerable beauty, added to an aspect so strikingly exotic, that them absence 
from any general collection of greenhouse plants is to be regretted. We propose to explain the 
leading features of their cultivation, in the hope that the absence of all difficulty i>. 
in them management, may, in conjunction with the reasons already stated, aid 
in reviving the taste of amateur cultivators for a selection of them. 
First—of propagation. The majority of these plants are prolific of suckers 
or side shoots, from the base of the plants, which, if taken off any time, during 
either spring or summer, somewhat dried before planting, and then put into 
moderate sized pots, well drained, and filled with sandy loam, or loam mixed 
with a third part of pounded bricks, will root readily in a few weeks if the 
soil is just kept moderately damp—neither so wet as to rot the base of the i; 'U 
sucker, nor so dry as to exhaust its juices. The pots containing these suckers 
or cuttings, may be set in any part of the green-house, on a shelf or stage, 
or in a window where thev will have the full sun; and from the tune thev 
are planted, such suckers will present all the appearance of mature plants, on 
a reduced scale. 
In many cases these side shoots, or suckers, may be taken off with roots 
attached, and then require only to be potted in pots suitable to them size, and 
at once form established plants. Some of the species, however, do not naturally 
produce a supply of suckers or side shoots, except in rare instances-—some very 
rarely, or never. Whenever, in the case of such species, suck¬ 
ers or side shoots are produced, advantage should be taken of 
the opportunity to propagate them, by planting them as already 
noticed. But when it is required to propagate any kind 
which obstinately refuses to furnish materials for propagation, 
the only alternative is to destroy the centre or heart of the 
plant, when side shoots will be produced, and these, when 
large enough, must be treated as cuttings. 
The after-culture of these plants is as easy as them pro¬ 
pagation. The principal features of their treatment may be 
pointed out under the heads soil, watering, and situation. 
The proper situation for them is the greenhouse; that is to 
say, while they are just protected from frost on the one hand, 
they do not require more than a temperate degree of heat on 
the other, so far as artificial heating is concerned. We find 
them to do well and flower very abundantly, hi a small green¬ 
house having a south-west aspect, the lights of which are 
never opened for the purpose of “ giving air,” except, per¬ 
haps, in the hottest days of summer; and to which fire heat 
is only applied with the view of just keeping out the frosfi 
The species which are of suitable size will do well hi a sunny 
window, and may be kept permanently hiside, from one year’s Aloepicta. 
end to another, without suffering from them confinement, care being taken to remove them, if necessary, 
. t ae ^ each of fi ost, or, if a slight frost should catch them, to thaw them gradually by the 
