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April (If a pit be used it should be)

If a pit be used, it should be filled up within 6in. of the glass with leaves and manure, or any other material that will produce a steady bottom heat of 80deg. or 85deg., and will last for three weeks or so at that point; which, at this season, will be an easy matter. When the heat has become regular and steady, about 4in. or 5in. of light, rich, sandy soil should be placed all over the surface, adding, at the same time, a sprinkling of silver sand on the top, and pressing it moderately firm with a flat board. The cuttings may now be prepared and dibbled in, 1in. apart each way. If kept close, moist, and shaded from bright sunshine, in a few days they will be forming roots, and so soon as that takes place the shading should be discontinued, and the ventilation gradually increased until they are finally hardened off and planted out. If carefully lifted, and placed in trays or baskets, with a rhubarb leaf over them, they may be taken any distance, and planted without flagging; with this advantage--that the plants being in good colour, the beds are effective at once. April is early enough to commence striking them, and these will be fit to plant out by the middle of June. The several species quoted in various dictionaries hitherto are unknown in English gardens.

A. amabilis (lovely).* l. elliptic, acuminate, greenish in some stages, with the principal ribs stained with red, but under free growth becoming almost entirely suffused with rose colour, mixed with orange, the midribs continuing to be of a deep red hue. Brazil, 1868.

A. a. amoena (charming).* l. small, spathulate, orange red and purple in colour, which is shaded with deep green and bronze. Brazil, 1865. A most elegant little plant, with a spreading habit.

A. a. tricolor (three-coloured).* l. broadly ovate, glabrous, dark green at the edge, and have a centre of vivid rose, traversed by purple veins, an irregular band of orange yellow intervening between the centre and margin. Brazil, 1862.

A. Bettzichiana (Bettzich's). l. olive and red. Brazil, 1862. A. B. spathulata (spathulate-leaved). l. spathulate, but more elongated than the others; the principal colours are reddish pink and light brown; these are shaded with bronze and green. Brazil, 1865. A rather tall species. A. ficoidea (fig-like).* l. variegated with green, rose, and red. India, 1865. A. paronychioides (Paronychia-like).* l. narrow spathulate, ground colour deep orange red, beautifully shaded with olive green. Dense and compact grower, forming a little clump about 4in. high.

A. p. magnifica (magnificent).* A very fine variety, with a much higher colour than the type.

A. p. major (greater).* l. bronze, with rich orange tips; very effective. A. p. m. aurea (greater-golden).* l. bright golden yellow, which colour they retain all through the season.

A. versicolor (various-colour).* l. medium sized, ovate, bright rosy pink and crimson, shaded with bronzy green, branching freely, and making a compact and handsome plant. Brazil, 1865.

ALTHAEA (from altheo, to cure; in reference to the medicinal qualities of some of the species). Marsh Mallow. ORD. Malvaceae. Hardy biennials or perennials, closely allied to Malva. Outer calyx six to nine-cleft, inner one five-cleft. Most species belonging to this genus are worthy of cultivation, particularly in woods, coppices, and shrubberies; they will thrive in almost any kind of soil. They may be either increased by dividing the plants at the roots, or by seeds; the biennial species must be raised from seed every year, which may be sown in spring where they are intended to remain, or in pans placed in a cold frame, from which the young plants may be removed when large enough. A. cannabina (Hemp-leaved).* fl. rose-coloured; peduncles axillary, many-flowered, loose, longer than the leaves. June. l. pubescent, lower ones palmately-parted, upper ones three-parted; lobes narrow, and grossly toothed. h. 5ft. to 6ft. South France, 1597. Perennial.

A. caribaea (Caribean).* fl. rose coloured, with a yellow base, solitary, almost sessile. March. l. cordate, roundish, lobed, crenate-serrated. Stem straight, hispid. h. 3ft. Caribbee Islands, 1816. Biennial. A. ficifolia (fig-leaved). Antwerp Hollyhock. fl. generally yellow or orange coloured, in terminal spikes, large, single or double. June. l. divided beyond the middle into seven lobes; lobes oblong, obtuse, irregularly toothed. h. 6ft. Siberia, 1597. Biennial.

A. flexuosa (zigzag).* fl. scarlet, axillary, solitary, stalked; petals obcordate. June. l. cordate, somewhat seven-lobed, obtuse, on long footstalks. h. 2ft. to 3ft. North India, 1803. Perennial.

A. frutex (shrubby). Synonymous with Hibiscus syriacus. A. narbonensis (Narbonne).* fl. pale red; peduncles many-flowered, loose, longer than the leaves. August. l. pubescent, lower ones five or seven-lobed, upper ones three-lobed. h. 3ft. to 6ft. France, 1780. Perennial. A. officinalis (officinal). Common Marsh Mallow. fl. of a delicate, uniform blush colour; peduncles axillary, many-flowered, much shorter than the leaves. July. l. clothed with soft, white tomentum on both surfaces, cordate or ovate, toothed, undivided, or somewhat five-lobed. h. 3ft. to 4ft. Marshes, Britain. Perennial.

A. rosea (rose).* Hollyhock. fl. rose-coloured, large, axillary, sessile, somewhat spiked at the top. July. l. cordate, with five or seven angles, crenated, rough. Stem straight, hairy. h. 8ft. China, 1573. For special culture and varieties, see Hollyhock.

A. striata (streaked). fl. white, 2 1/2in. in diameter, solitary, on short pedicels; calyx striped. July. l. cordate, bluntly three-lobed, crenated. Stem puberulous, and somewhat scabrous. h. 5ft. Biennial. ALYSSUM (from a, not, and lyssa, rage; in reference to a fable that the plant allayed anger). Madwort. Including Psilonema, Ptilotrichum, Schivereckia. ORD. Cruciferae. Annuals or dwarf, branching, shrubby perennials, often clothed with hoary, stellate hairs. Flowers small, cruciform, white or yellow. Leaves distant, or the radical ones tufted, usually entire. Several of the species are very much alike. They are excellent plants for the rockery, or for the front of borders, growing freely in common but well-drained garden soil. They may be increased by cuttings, by division of the roots, or by seed. The cuttings should be made from young shoots, 2in. to 3in. in length, inserted in sandy loam, early in the season, in a shady place. Seed may be raised outside, or in a frame in pans in sandy soil, most of them germinating in two or three weeks.

A. alpestre (alpine).* fl. yellow; raceme simple. June. l. obovate, hoary. Stem rather shrubby at the base, diffuse, greyish. h. 3in. South Europe, 1777. Perennial. A very neat little tufted species. A. argenteum (silvery), A. Bertolonii (Bertoloni's), and A. murale (wall), are larger growing species allied to the above, but of less cultural merit.

A. a. obtusifolium (obtuse-leaved). fl. yellow, corymbose. June. l. obovate-spathulate, blunt, silvery on the under surface. h. 3in. Tauria, 1828. A rare alpine.

A. atlanticum (Atlantic). fl. yellow; raceme simple. June. l. lanceolate, hoary, and pilose. Stems shrubby at the base, erect. h. 6in. to 1ft. South Europe, 1820. A. Marschallianum is intermediate between A. alpestre and A. a. obtusifolium, but is seldom met with under cultivation. A. gemonense (German).* fl. yellow, in close corymbs. April to June. l. lanceolate, entire, greyish-velvety from stellate down. Stem shrubby at the base. h. 1ft. Italy, 1710. Closely allied to A. saxatile, but not so hardy; it is very desirable for rockeries.

A. macrocarpum (large-fruited). fl. white, racemose. June. l. oblong, blunt, silvery. Stem shrubby, branched, somewhat spiny. h. 8in. South of France, 1828. A. spinosa (thorny), and A. halimifolia (purslane-leaved), are very like this species. A. dasycarpum (thick-fruited) is an annual with yellow flowers. A. maritimum. See Koeniga.

A. montanum (mountain). fl. yellow, sweet-scented; raceme simple. May to July. l. somewhat hoary; lower ones obovate; upper ones oblong. Stems rather herbaceous, diffuse, pubescent. h. 2in. or 3in. Europe, 1713. A distinct and charming species for the rockery, forming compact tufts of slightly glaucous green. A. cuneifolium (wedge-leaved), A. diffusum (diffuse), and A. Wulfenianum (Wulfenius) come close to this species, the latter being the most desirable.

A. olympicum (olympian). fl. deep yellow, small, in roundish corymbose heads. Summer. l. spathulate, sessile, very small, greyish. h. 2in. to 3in. Northern Greece.

A. orientale (Oriental).* fl. yellow, corymbose. May. l. lanceolate, repandly-toothed, waved, downy. Stems suffruticose at the base. h. 1ft. Crete, 1820. There is a variety with variegated leaves.

A. saxatile (rock).* fl. yellow, in close corymbose heads. April. l. lanceolate, entire, clothed with hoary tomentum. Stems shrubby at the base. h. 1ft. Eastern Europe, 1710. A very common and showy spring plant. A. s. variegatum (variegated).* A constant and prettily variegated form, which is even more handsome than the type. On the rockery it does well, as it requires a sunny, well drained, position.

A. serpyllifolium (Thyme-leaved).* fl. pale yellow, in simple racemes. April to June. l. very small, 1/4in. to 1/2in. long, ovate, scabrous, hoary. h. 3in. to 4in. Branches spreading, sub-woody at the base. South Europe, 1822. A. tortuosum (twisted). fl. yellow; raceme corymbose. June. l. hoary, somewhat lanceolate. Stem shrubby at the base, twisted, diffuse. h. 6in. Hungary, 1804. A. Wiersbeckii (Wiersbeck's).* fl. deep yellow, in close corymbose heads, about 1 1/2in. across. Summer. l. 2in. long, oval-oblong-pointed, sessile, attenuated at the base, roughish and hairy. Stems erect, scabrous, simple, rigid. h. 1 1/2ft. Asia Minor.