=A. prolifera= (proliferous). _fl._ white, on terminal sub-umbellate heads; sepals smooth; pedicels somewhat fastigiate, pubescent. April. _l._ spreading, lanceolate, cuspidate; keel and edges fringed, dotted; branches whorled, proliferous. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. 1790.
=A. pubescens= (downy). _fl._ white; umbels terminal; peduncles and sepals villous. April. _l._ lanceolate, trigonal, pointless, with margins and rib ciliated. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1798.
=A. rugosa= (coarsely-wrinkled). _fl._ white, on terminal sub-umbellate heads; sepals pubescent; pedicels capillary, clothed with glandular hairs. April. _l._ spreading, oblong or ovate, blunt, keeled, wrinkled, villous beneath, reflexed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1790.
=A. vestita= (clothed). _fl._ lilac, on terminal sub-capitate heads; pedicels quite smooth. May. _l._ closely imbricated, ovate, acuminated, keeled, fringed. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1824.
=AGATI= (its Sanscrit name). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Ornamental stove trees from India, with lanceolate stipulas, abruptly-pinnate leaves, having many pairs of leaflets. Flowers large, few, racemose. Legumes 1-1/2ft. long. A mixture of loam, peat, and sand is most suitable. Young cuttings will root in a pot of sand, with a hand glass over them, placed in heat.
=A. coccinea= (scarlet).* _fl._ red, rather smaller than the next species. Legumes rather terete. _l._ leaflets powdery. July. _h._ 20ft. to 30ft. 1768.
=A. grandiflora= (large-flowered). _fl._ rosy red. July. Legumes evidently compressed. _l._ leaflets glabrous. _h._ 14ft. to 26ft. 1768.
=A. g. flore-albo= (white flowered). _fl._ white, double. N. Australia, 1869.
=AGAVE= (from _agauos_, admirable; referring to the stately form in which some of them flower). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. Flower-scape tall, proceeding from the centre of the rosette of leaves; perianth funnel-shaped, six-parted. Leaves large, fleshy, tufted. Mr. B. S. Williams describes them as follows: "They are noble, massive-growing plants, and form magnificent ornaments in the greenhouse or conservatory; whilst, from their slow growth, they do not rapidly get too large, even for a small greenhouse. Indeed, some of the real gems of this genus are neat, compact-growing plants, seldom exceeding 2ft. in height. Besides being fine ornamental plants for indoor decoration, the larger growing kinds are unquestionably the finest objects for the embellishment of terrace-walks, or surmounting flights of steps in the open air during the summer season, and also for plunging in rockwork, or about any rustic nooks in the pleasure-grounds, as, in such situations, they are quite in keeping, and thrive admirably. As is well known, they attain maturity very slowly; but when this condition is reached, the plant sends up a flower spike, and, after perfecting this, dies." _A. Sartorii_, and a few others are, however, exceptional, and go on flowering year after year. It is certainly fallacious to suppose it takes them a hundred years to flower. Agaves succeed well potted in good loam and river sand, to which may be added a little peat and leaf mould for some of the smaller-growing kinds. The drainage should be good, as they enjoy a liberal supply of water during the summer season, but during winter considerably less will be required. They can be increased by suckers when these are to be obtained, and also by seeds, to secure the production of which, in the species that do not yield suckers, the flowers should be carefully impregnated. In the following descriptive list of species, only those of horticultural value are mentioned, some of which are still rare; and in describing them we have availed ourselves of Mr. J. G. Baker's excellent monograph, which appeared in the columns of the _Gardener's Chronicle_. Many are omitted, not from any deficiency in horticultural beauty, but because, in several instances, only one plant of a species is known to exist in cultivation, and such cannot, therefore, hope to become in general cultivation for many years hence.