ARB 
AUC 
sity of frequently shifting such as have 
to be kept in pots for any length of time. 
The propagation of this Araucaria is 
effected by seeds or grafting; the im¬ 
ported seed should be sown as soon as 
received on a gentle heat, a single seed 
being placed in a small pot filled with 
sandy loam ; through the first year they 
require nursing in pits, and for two or 
three seasons after should be guarded 
from severe weather in cold frames, till 
they have attained about a foot in height, 
when they may be trusted in the open 
ground. Grafting is a delicate operation; 
the freest growing stocks should be se¬ 
lected from the common pine, and to 
effect a speedy union a little heat is ne¬ 
cessary ; and when complete it appears 
to be questionable if long-lived trees will 
result; we should therefore prefer seed¬ 
lings, even if more expensive. 
ARBUTUS, Strawberry Tree. (Linn.) 
Nat. Ord. JEricacece. Very handsome 
evergreen shrubs ; the common A. unedo 
and its varieties are especially desirable, 
as nothing can exceed their beauty in 
the autumnal months, when they are 
covered with both flowers and ripe fruit; 
the latter closelv resembling a scarlet 
strawberry. Of the varieties just men¬ 
tioned, the most beautiful are rubra, in- 
tegrifolia , both with pink flowers; and 
schizopetala , salicifolia, and plena, all 
with white blossoms. The dwarf species, 
such as (Ardostaphylos) alpin'a, uva ursi , 
and phillyrafolia, are pretty objects for 
rockwork or the fronts of American beds; 
the species Andraclme, Menziesii, and 
procera are fine objects for planting singly 
upon grass-plats, and are sufficiently 
hardy for all but the most exposed situ¬ 
ations. Sandy loam or loam and peat 
grows them best, and they are readily 
increased by layers ; the process of pro¬ 
pagating by seed is so tardy as to be 
scarce worth the trouble. 
ARISTOLOCHtA. (Linn.) Nat 
Order, Aristolochiacea. The hardy spe¬ 
cies are, for the most part, very rapid 
climbers, that in a season or two outstrip 
nearly all others we possess ; they are, 
however, deciduous, and in winter exhibit 
their tortuous naked stems, where all 
before was clothed with such ample ver¬ 
dure ; the contrast leaves an unpleasant 
impression that militates against their fre¬ 
quent adoption. The species Sipbo, tomen- 
tosa and Arkansa are among the strongest 
growers, clematitis, sagittata, pallida, 
and serpentaria are dwarf species, which 
may be planted with other herbaceous 
plants. The whole have singularly formed 
flowers, more or less pitcher-shaped, and 
generally of a livid purplish hue. They 
grow in almost any description of soil, 
though the stronger it is the more rapid 
will be their progress. Increase of the 
climbing species may be carried to any 
extent by cuttings taken in summer, and 
of the others by division. 
ARMENIACA, Apricot (Tourne- 
fort.) Nat. Ord. Amygdala. ?. The orna¬ 
mental species and varieties are, like 
those of the almond, very beautiful in 
spring; they require the same treatment 
and similar positions to the stronger 
kinds of that genus. Armeniaca brigan- 
tiaca is one of the earliest flowering 
trees we possess; its blossoms are pink, 
as also are those of Siberica ; dasycarpa 
has white flowers, but those of its peach¬ 
leaved variety are rose coloured. 
ATRAGENE. (Linn.) Nat. Ord. 
Ranunculaceee. A valuable genus of 
hardy deciduous climbers, resembling in 
habit the well-known clematis, and like 
it well suited for covering arbours, walls, 
or trellis; the young flexible branches 
form a dense shade by Midsummer, and 
in autumn are ornamented with numerous 
flowers. Americana and its variety obliqua 
have purple flowers ; those of the other 
kinds are yellowish-white. All of them 
grow freely in well-drained soil, which, if 
it has to be made for them, should be 
filled with broken bricks, stones, or 
such other material; the branches re¬ 
quire to be cut back every season to 
within half their length, or they ramble 
beyond control. Increase is most 
readily accomplished by layers, though 
cuttings will strike under a hand-glass 
on a warm border in summer; seed is 
seldom produced. 
AUCUBA, Spotted Bay (Kempfor.) 
Nat. Ord. Cornaceee. One of the most 
useful of common shrubs is a proper 
character for the only species, the well- 
