LITMIR.BIZ

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Early. In plantations they should stand 20 ft. apart.

      Aquatics.—All aquatics grow best in wicker-baskets filled with earth. Cover the surface of the earth with hay-bands twisted backwards and forwards and round the plant, and lace it down with tarred string, so as to keep the earth and plant from being washed out. The following make good plants:—White Water Lily (Nymphaea Alba) in deep water with muddy bottom; Yellow Water Lily (Nuphar Lutea); and Nuphar Advena, having yellow and red flowers; Hottonia Palustris, bearing flesh-coloured flowers, and Alismas, or Water Plantain, with white, and purple and white flowers. Water Forget-me-nots (Myosotis Palustris) flourish on the edges of ponds or rivers. The Water Hawthorn (Aponogetou Distachyon) does well in a warm, sheltered position, and may be grown in loam, plunged in a pan of water. Calla Ethiopica bears pretty white flowers, so also does the before-mentioned Aponogeton Distachyon. The Flowering Rush (Butomus Umbellatus), produces fine heads of pink flowers. The Water Violet merely needs to be laid on the surface of the water; the roots float. For shallow water Menyanthus Trifoliata (Three-leaved Buckbean) and Typha Latifolia (Broad-leaved Cat's Tail) are suitable. Weeping Willows grow readily from cuttings of ripened shoots, planted in moist soil in autumn. Spiraea does well in moist situations, near water. Aquatics are propagated by seed sown under water: many will allow of root-division. Tender Aquatics are removed in winter to warm-water tanks.

      Aquilegia (Columbine).—Very ornamental and easily-grown hardy perennials. Sow seed in March in sandy soil, under glass, and transplant when strong enough. Common garden soil suits them. The roots may be divided in spring or autumn. The flowers are produced from May to July. Height, 2 ft.

      Arabis Alpina (Rock Cress, or Snow in Summer).—Pure white hardy perennial, which is valuable for spring bedding. Not particular to soil, and easily raised from seed sown from March to June, placed under a frame, and transplanted in the autumn, or it may be propagated by slips, but more surely by rootlets taken after the plants have done flowering. Plant 3 in. apart. Height, 6 in.

      Aralia (Fatsia Japonica).—Fine foliage plants, very suitable for a shady situation in a living-room. They may be raised from seed sown in autumn in a gentle heat, in well-drained pots of light sandy soil. Keep the mould moist, and when the plants are large enough to handle, pot them off singly in thumb pots, using rich, light, sandy soil. Do not pot too firmly. Keep them moist, but do not over water, especially in winter, and re-pot as the plants increase in size. Be careful not to let the sun shine on them at any time, as this would cause the leaves to lose their fresh colour.

      Aralia Sieboldi (Fig Palm).—This shrub is an evergreen, and is generally given stove culture, though it proves quite hardy in the open, where its large deep-green leaves acquire a beauty surpassing those grown indoors. Slips of half-ripened wood taken at a joint in July may be struck in heat and for the first year grown on in the greenhouse. The young plants should be hardened off and planted out in May in a sunny situation. It should be grown in well-drained sandy loam. Is increased also by off-sets, and blooms (if at all) in July. Height, 3 ft.

      Aralia Sinensis. See "Dimorphantus."

      Araucaria Imbricata (The Monkey Puzzle, or Chilian Pine).—This strikingly handsome conifer is very suitable for a forecourt or for a single specimen on grass. Young plants are sometimes grown in the conservatory and in the borders of shrubberies, as well as in the centres of beds. It requires a good stiff sandy loam, which must be well drained, and plenty of room for root action should be allowed. Young plants are obtained from seed sown in good mellow soil. Water sparingly, especially during the winter.

      Arbor Vitae. See "Thuya."

      Arbutus (Strawberry Tree).—Elegant evergreen shrubs with dark foliage of great beauty during October and November, when they produce an abundance of pearly-white flowers, and the fruit of the previous year is ripe. A. Unedo is particularly charming. They flourish in the open in sandy loam. The dwarfs are increased by layers, the rest by seeds or by budding on each other.

      Arctostaphylos.—These evergreen shrubs need the same treatment as Arbutos. A. Uva-ursi, or Creeping Arbutos, is a pretty prostrate evergreen, which flowers in May, and is only 3 in. high.

      Arctotis.—A showy and interesting half-hardy annual. Raise the seed in a frame in March, and transplant in May. It succeeds best in a mixture of loam and peat. It flowers in June. Height, 1 ft.

      Arctotis Grandis.—A very handsome, half-hardy annual producing large daisy-like flowers on long wiry stems, the upper part being white and the base yellow and lilac, while the reverse of the petals are of a light lilac. The seed should be sown early in spring on a slight hot-bed, and the plants potted off, when sufficiently strong, using a rich, light mould. They may be transferred to the border as soon as all fear of frost is over. Height, 2–½ ft.

      Ardisia Japonica.—An evergreen shrub which delights in a mixture of loam and peat. Cuttings will strike if planted in sand under glass with a little bottom heat. It flowers in July. Height, 6 ft.

      Arenaria Balearica (Sand Wort).—A hardy evergreen trailing plant of easy culture, provided it is favoured with a sandy soil. Its cushions of white flowers are produced in July, and it may be increased by seed or division. Height, 3 in. It is a beautiful plant for moist, shady rock-work.

      Argemone.—Interesting hardy annuals, succeeding well in any common garden soil. Are increased by suckers or by seed sown in spring. Height, 6 in. to 3 ft.

      Aristolochia Sipho (Dutchman's Pipe).—This hardy, deciduous climber grows best in peat and sandy loam with the addition of a little dung. It may be raised from cuttings placed in sand under glass. Height, 30 ft.

      Armeria (Thrift).—Handsome hardy perennials for rock-work or pots. They require an open, rich, sandy soil. Bloom June to September. Height, 1–½ ft.

      Arnebia.—Ornamental hardy annuals, closely allied to the Anchusa. The seeds are sown in the open in spring, and flowers are produced in July. Height, 2 ft. There is also a dwarf hardy perennial variety (A. Echioides) known as the Prophet's Flower, growing about 1 ft. high, and flowering early in summer. It needs no special treatment.

      Artemisia Annua.—Pretty hardy annuals, the silvery leaves of the plant being very effective on rock-work. Sow the seed in spring where it is to flower. Height, 6 ft.

      Artemisia Arborea. See "Southernwood."

      Artemisia Villarsii.—A hardy perennial whose graceful sprays of finely-cut silvery foliage are very useful for mixing with cut flowers. It may be grown from seed on any soil, and the roots bear dividing; flowers from June to August. Height, 2 ft.

      Artichokes.—The Jerusalem variety will flourish in light sandy soil where few other things will grow. Plant the tubers in March, 6 in. deep and 12 in. apart in rows 3 ft. asunder, and raise and store them in November. The Globe variety is increased by off-sets taken in March. Set them in deeply manured ground in threes, at least 2 ft. apart and 4 ft. from row to row. Keep them well watered, and the ground between them loose. They bear best when two or three years old.

      Arum Lilies.—In warm districts these beautiful plants may be grown in damp places out of doors, with a south aspect and a background of shrubs, though, not being thoroughly hardy, it is safer to grow them in pots. They may be raised from seed in boxes of leaf-mould and sand, covering them with glass, and keeping them well watered. As soon as they can be handled, transplant them into small pots, and pot on as they increase in size. They may also be increased by the small shoots that form round the base of the corms, using a compost of loam, leaf-mould, and sand, with a little crushed charcoal. In June transplant them in the open to ripen their corms, and in August put them carefully into 6-in. pots filled with the above-mentioned compost. They need at all times a good amount of moisture, especially at such times as they are removed from one soil to another. At the same time,

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