4.92 THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Dracontium—continued. 
tapering upwards, with wavy bands or blotches of a purplish 
colour, mottled with white. 1809. ENS. yy elatum (G. C. 1870, 
544) and Amorphophallus nivosus. (Ref. B. 282.) 
tomous, with oblong segments and an Mr рза рт gra rachis ; 
petiole tall, erect, sligh ly asperous near the base, of a dull flesh- 
colour, and freely banded with irregular blotchy rings of an 
umber-brown hue, the flesh-colour predominating. A. 3ft. An- 
tioquia, 1877. (B. M. 6523.) 
D. elatum (tall. Asynonym of D. asperum. Ў 
D. gigas (giant). fl., spathe bluish-brown outside, brownish- 
ў within, about op 4 
solitary, broad, trichotomously divided, supra-decompound, nearly 
Aft. long ; ultimate divisions confluently pinnatifid ; petiole yellow, 
beaut barred and striped with раріе. h. loft. Nicaragua, 
(B. M. 6048. 
Эа Elem ul ie aequi. fiy Infloresence appearing after 
j u 
. an shontaable К. The phe figured in B. 700 Bowel 
in December, J. етее pedate. Л. 26. India, 1759. 
A very singular species. (B. R. 700.) 
DRACOPHYLLUM (from drakon, a dragon, and 
phyllon, a leaf; in reference to the leaves resembling 
those of Dracena Draco). Including Sphenotoma. ORD. 
Epacridee. А genus of about twenty-five species of 
greenhouse shrubs or small trees, of which eleven are from 
New Zealand, five from New Caledonia, and the rest from 
simple, or compound. Leaves imbricate, cucullate at the 
base, and half-sheathing. For eulture, see Andersonia. 
D. capitatum (round-headed).* ure white, in terminal head 
"NE bracts two, at tho bass ез ; er 
shaped ; limb of five spreading, very obtuse segments; mouth 
cone ME. ы ensiform-lanceolate. 
een, tipped wi somewhat sprea S ; 
paler coloured, smaller, and close- ES ue sm; 
^ to lift. West Australia, A very pretty plant. (B. M. 
D. gracile (slender).* j. snow-white, collected in terminal, ovate, 
соп heads, sweet-scented, especially in the evening ; calyx 
two- l, sessile, green, five-leaved ; corolla saucer-shaped ; 
limb five-cleft; peduncles clothed with closely-adpressed 
sheathing leaves or bracts. June. Z lanceolate. ана en 
ing thestem at their mucronulate and sub-pungent, collected 
at the extremities of the sterile branches into green globular 
heads. Branches straggling. West Australia, 1826, A handsome 
but low, straggling shrub. (B. M. 2678.) — ; 
D. secundum (side-floy - fl. white ; corolla tub: : 
shaped. April A. 1ft to Ий: "New South Wales, 1623) (B. М. 
 udbeckia (which see). D 
a dragon; the petioles, &., 1 
snake). ORD. Aroidee (A p 
species, nearly allied to Arum, from whic 
. differs in the upper portion of the 
not eonvolute. Leaves pedately dividi 
Rhizomes tuberous. The species most com, 
with in gardens is D. vulgaris (often са] 
already described in this work as um 
(whieh see). The other two, which are 
 quently seen, are D. canariensis and D. 
DRAGON. See Dracontium and ; 
DRAGON'S BLOOD. The Dragons 
merce is a resin used in medicine as a г 
d rs and tooth-powders. It is furni 
+ Draco, and is imported into this « 
п Sumatra, Southern Borneo, &c. The resin ео 
s of the fruit with a thin coat, and is obtai 
the fruits or beating them in а sack, then mel 
in boiling water, and afterwards moulding in 
sticks. The name Dragon’s Blood is 
hy, 
D. Carderi (Carder’s).* J. tripartite ; divisions often twice dicho- - 
extra-tropical Australia. Spikes or racemes terminal, | 
yielded by Dracena Draco in the Canary -— 
' сі та in Socotra, and also by | 
| main and branches at 
and, on the other hand, where 
DRAINING. Efficient Drainage is one of the most 
important points in connection with the cultivation of 
garden crops. No plant will succeed in an undrained 
soil, which soon becomes sour and water-logged, either 
in a pot or elsewhere. Placing crocks or other porous 
material in pots, in such a manner as to allow of the free 
passage of superfluous water from the plants, for a con- 
siderable time, if necessary, cannot be too carefully prac- 
tised. In Draining the whole or any part of a garden, 
a few important conditions will have to be considered. 
First, it should be known whether there is an accumula- 
tion of land water near enough the surface to cause 
injury, or if it is the surface water only that will need 
to be conducted away. This will depend a great deal on 
the tenacity of the soil. Land, somewhat light on the 
surface, with a gravelly sub-soil, will generally be suffi- 
ciently porous underneath to allow all such water to pass 
away naturally without Drains, excepting those required 
for the walks. “Heavy soils, with a sub-soil of clay, 
require an efficient system of Drainage to render them fit 
for the cultivation of fruit-trees or any garden crops. 
Water collecting underneath the surface is. the greatest 
evil. If this be removed, the surface water will naturally 
follow, and must, of necessity, be sueceeded each time by 
fresh air. A main Drain, large enough to reeeive and 
conduct the water from all the. branches along its course, 
should be first inserted. A means of outlet lower than any 
part of the land to be Drained, is necessary, and the main... — 
should proceed in a tolerably straight line from the highest 
point to this, with an equal gradient throughout. The 
branches may be arranged at right angles, at distances 
of 15ft. to 20ft. apart, according to the quantity of water 
that accumulates, or the nature of the soil. Pipes 3in., 
or even 2in., in diameter, will generally be large enough; 
their position should be fixed beforehand, and sockets 
inserted in the main for their reception. Tools specially 
employed for Draining are the best, being made long and? 
narrow, to admit of digging trenches deep without being 
wide. A main Drain-pipe, 6in. in diameter, will conduct 
away a large quantity of water, and, this, with its outlet, 
should be. sufficiently deep to allow a fall for all the 
branches connected. The requisite depth for Drains 
varies with different soils, 3ft. to 4ft. from the surface 
being that generally adopted. Glazed and common pipes 
are both largely used. The former are the most expensive, 
but are very strong, and best suited for mains. These 
should be fitted together closely, and, if laid near trees, 
the joints cemented, to prevent roots from entering 
and eventually choking them.  Draining, to be effective 
in its results, must be systematically carried out, and 
each pipe inserted firmly in its proper position. A cover- 
ing of stones, broken bricks, or similar material, placed 
over them before filing in the soil, will greatly assist the 
percolation of water. 'Some persons prefer laying the 
the same time, thus finishing all 
as they proceed. This is immaterial, if all the levels 
have been previously properly obtained. It is, however, _ 
safest to insert the main Drain first, as a failure in its - 
action will cause the whole to be useless. In either x 
case, the work should be commenced at the highest point 3i 
from the outlet, afterwards proceeding with a regular 
fall towards it. An ordinary spirit level, fixed in a long 
| straight-edge, will indicate at once the fall in that 
distance, supposing the Drain is not too deep to admit 
of the bubble being seen. Where the ground is nearly 
flat, the spirit level is frequently used on each pipe; 
the incline is certain, 
eye. S 
the fall may be easily seen by - 
DRAKJZEA (named in honour of Miss Drake, botanical 
artist for the “Botanical Register") Orp. Orchidee. 
А genus comprising three species of extremely curious 
alian greenhouse terrestrial orchids. D. elastica 
resembling an insect suspended in 
with every breeze; the stalk sup- 
