440 
THE DICTIONARY 
OF GARDENING, 
Sisyrinchium—continued. 
4in. long Stem branched, 4in. to 12in. high. Brazil to Chili, 
1822. Half-hardy. (L. B. C. 1979.) Syns. S. laxum (B. M. 2312), 
Marica iridifolia (B. R. 646). 
S. iridioides (Iris-like). A synonym of S. Bermudiana, 
S. laxum (loose). A synonym of S. iridifolium. 
S. lutescens (yellowish). A synonym of S. striatum. 
S. micranthum (small-flowered). fl. three to ten, small, pedi- 
cellate ; perianth yellow, tin. long; spathes terminal, the outer 
one about lin., the inner in., long. June. l. linear-ensiform, 
striated, glabrous; radical ones lin. to 4in. long, one line broad ; 
cauline one bract-like, lin. long. . Stem glabrous, one-leaved, 
simple, flexuous, 2in. to 9in. high. Mexico and Brazil, &c., 1815. 
Half-hardy. (B. M. 2116.) j 
S. striatum (striated). jl. nine to twelve, spicate, alternate, ex- 
ceeding the ovate, cuspidate spathe; perianth yellowish, the 
tube two lines, the segments seven lines, long; pedicels nearly 
equalling the spathe. June. J. glabrous ; radical ones about lft. 
long, distichous, equitant, sheathing ; cauline ones rather remote, 
amplexicaul. Stem lft. to 2ft. high, simple or branched. Chili, 
ra oa chee Syns. S. lutescens (L. B. C. 1870), Marica striata 
S. tenuifolium (slender-leaved). fl., perianth yellow, the seg- 
ments oblong, acute ; pedicels sparsely hairy, exceeding the 
spathe; spathe two-leaved, terminal, one or many-flowered. 
l. linear-ensiform, scabrous on the margins, acuminated, striated ; 
radical ones 2}in. to Sin. long; cauline ones 2in. to 4in. long. 
Stem ascending, ene or branched, 14in. to 12in. high. Mexico, 
1816. Hardy. (B. M. 2117, 2313.) 
SITOCODIUM. A synonym of Camassia. 
SITODIUM. A synonym of Artocarpus. 
SITOLOBIUM. Included under Dicksonia (which ` 
see). 
SITONA. A genus of small beetles belonging to the 
family of Weevils. It includes those popularly known as 
Pea-and-Bean-Weevils, which receive this name because 
of the harm they do to the Pea and Bean crops, especially 
in field cultivation. But they also feed on many other 
leguminous plants, e.g., Clover. In them the beak is 
shorter than in most Weevils, and projects horizontally. 
It is flat, except for a slight channel along its upper 
surface. The antenne are elbowed. The body is oblong, 
with the thorax a good deal narrower than the abdomen. 
The beetles are about jin. or a little more in length. 
‘Their ground-colour is black; but this is almost always 
_ more or less concealed by a coat of ochreous, grey, or 
rosy scales and hairs. These scales and hairs are apt 
_ to be rubbed off, and to disappear after a time. The 
most hurtful species are S. crinita, the Spotted Pea- 
weevil, and S. lineata, the Striped Pea-weevil. The 
_ former bears ten punctured stripes down the wing-cases, 
these stripes being alternately dark and light ochreous. 
“The former species is a little smaller than S. lineata, is 
more grey or rosy than that insect, and has a few dark 
spots on the wing-cases. Both have the limbs, for the 
‘most part, dull-red. ; 
The beetles feed on Peas, Beans, and other leguminous 
plants, gnawing the young leaves and leaflets from the 
margins inwards, and, in this way, sometimes completely 
_ destroy the crops, if the weather is cold and unfavour- 
able to growth after the young plants have come through 
the soil. Strong, healthy plants suffer least from them. 
The life-history of these Weevils has been followed out, 
within the past three or four years, by Messrs. Hart and 
Christy. The larvæ feed on the roots of Clover, and, it 
may be presumed, of other Leguminose. They have been 
observed of all sizes and ages in the autumn, and many 
of them live through the winter as larve, and reach 
their full size in spring. When full-grown, they are 
footless, wrinkled, white maggots. They become pupæ in 
oval, earthen cells, lin. to 2in. below the surface of the 
soil; and in two or three weeks they emerge as beetles. 
It would thus seem that the larve are injurious; but 
the beetles are far more so. They are apt to remain 
undetected in their depredations, as, when in danger, they 
drop at once from the plants to the soil and hide under 
particles of earth, &c.; but pressure, or stamping with 
the feet, on the soil around the plants, makes the beetles 
Sitona—continued. 
come out in swarms. They seem to pass the winter in 
open ends of stubble, or in any other convenient retreat. 
Remedies. The best is probably to make up the seed- 
bed so as to be favourable to rapid and healthy growth 
of the young plants, thus rendering them able to survive 
the attacks of the Weevils. For the same reason it is 
well to water the plants in dry weather. It is recom- 
mended also to lay wood-ashes or coal-ashes along the 
drills above the rows of Peas or Beans, as this favours 
growth. Rolling the ground brings the Weevils to the 
surface, and kills many of them. Applications of lime or 
soot to the wet leaves renders these distasteful to the 
insects; but the most useful application yet tried is 
paraffin, in a solution of about two ounces to one gallon 
of water, with which the plants should be watered. 
SIUM (from Sion, the old Greek name, used by Dios- 
corides). Water Parsnip. ORD. Umbe'lifere. A small 
genus (four species) of glabrous, hardy herbs, natives 
of North temperate regions, South Africa, and St. Helena. 
Flowers white, in compound umbels; involucral bracts - 
numerous. Leaves pinnate; pinne toothed. S. angusti- 
folium and 8. latifolium are British plants. 8. Sisarum 
(Skirret) is removed, by Bentham and Hooker, to Pim- 
pinella. The species possess no horticultural value. 
`. SKIMMIA (from skimmi, a Japanese word, signify- 
ing a hurtful fruit). ORD. Rutacee. A genus comprising 
about half-a dozen species of pretty, hardy, evergreen, 
highly glabrous shrubs, with green branchlets, natives 
of the Himalayas and Japan. Flowers whitish, clustered; 
calyx short, four or five-lobed; petals four or five, oblong, 
much longer than the calyx, valvate or loosely imbri- 
cated; disk inconspicuous; panicles terminal, branched. 
Drupes ovoid, fleshy, two to four-stoned. Leaves alter- 
nate, simple, petiolate, lanceolate, entire, coriaceous, 
pellucid-dotted. The species thrive in a compost of peat 
and loam. 
inserted in sand, under a bell glass, in gentle heat; and 
by seeds, sown, when ripe, in sandy loam and peat. 
Fic. 491. TIP oF BRANCH, WITH INFLORESCENCE, OF 
SKIMMIA FRAGRANS. 
S. fragrans (fragrant). ji. white, fragrant, di in terminal 
panicles. J, elliptie oblong, thick. A. about 3ft. See xir. 491. 
(R. H. 1880, p. 56, Fig. 11.) Of this garden plant only the female 
is at present known. : 
Propagation may be effected by cuttings, ™ 
