Trapa—continued. 
and tropical and sub-tropical Asia and Africa. Flowers 
axillary, solitary, peduncled; calyx tube short, the limb 
four-parted, two or all the segments persistent and 
becoming spinescent on the fruit; petals four, white, 
small; stamens four.- Fruit bony, one-celled, large, 
obovoid, with four angles, indehiscent, with a short, 
cylindric beak at the top. Leaves dimorphic; sub- 
merged ones opposite, root-like, pinnatipartite, with 
- _ filiform segments; floating ones rosulate, rhomboidal, the 
petioles having a spongy dilatation near the apex. The 
large seeds of T. bispinosa are sweet and edible; in 
Cashmere, and other parts of the East, they are common 
food, and are known under the name of Singhara Nuts. 
The species require a rich, loamy soil, and to be grown 
in a cistern, or a large pot or tub of water. Propaga- 
tion may be effected by seeds. 
T, bispinosa (two-spined), Singhara Nut-plant. fr. jin. long 
and broad, glabrous or hairy ; two opposite angles each with an 
often retrorsely scabrous spine, the other two angles sometimes 
obsolete. l., floating ones 2in. by 24in. to in., very villous 
beneath, the posterior margin entire, the anterior lightly crenate ; 
perona 4in. to 6in. long, woolly. India and Ceylon, 1822. Stove. 
ubtfully distinct from 7. natans. 
Fic. 89. UPPER PORTION OF PLANT OF TRAPA NATANS, showing 
of Floating Leaves. 
T, natans (swimming).* Jesuit’s Nut; Ling; pie Caltrops ; 
i l., floating ones 
terior 
toothed or incised-toothed on the an margin, spacing! 
villous on the nerves beneath; petioles 2in. to 4in. pad 
Fig. 90. FRUIT OF TRAPA NATANS. 
~ glabrescent. Persia to Europe and the Upper Nile, 1781. Hardy. 
a See Figs. 89 and 90. (B. R. Rates. ) a 
T. verbanensis (Lago Magalona)” Jr. trigonous, com 
with two short horns. ty er sides emery 
= Ea ag Tae Whole 
TRAPEZIFORM, TRAPEZOID. Scarcely differ- 
ing from rhomboid; having four sides, the opposite ones 
not parallel. 
TRAPS. It is advisable to be provided with some 
of these in gardens, for the destruction of various kinds 
of vermin. The chief kinds of Traps required are those 
used for catching rats, mice, and moles. Rats may be 
caught by the ordinary kind of Trap used by keepers 
for rabbits, &c., if placed in their runs; but these de- 
structive animals are more quickly disposed of by poison- 
ing, if it can be safely practised, and sometimes by the 
aid of a gun. Mice are often destructive in seed-rooms 
and seed-beds; when the seed is of a kind which they 
like. An ordinary brick, and what is known as a Figure 
of 4 Trap, baited with a small piece of cheese, will 
generally catch them with certainty; also the small box 
Mousetraps commonly used in houses. For moles, the 
iron Traps with a spring and double claws, which 
clip the animal, from whichever side it proceeds, round 
the body, have generally superseded, and are preferable 
in gardens to, the old kinds made of wood and small wire. 
Traps, as they are generally called, may be formed in 
. various ways for particular purposes—as, for 
instance, to catch earwigs, which destroy the 
flower-buds of Chrysanthemums, Dahlias, &c. 
The best plan for trapping these is to put 
some dry material, such as hay or old 
beanstalks, into small flower-pots, and in- 
vert them on top of the stakes used for sup- 
porting the plants; or they may be placed 
amongst the branches. The earwigs conceal 
themselves in the pots, and, if these are 
examined occasionally, the insects may be 
shaken out and destroyed. A few small let- 
tuce or tender cabbage leaves, also form, at 
times, an effectual Trap for slugs when these 
attack seedlings. Instead of retreating to 
their usual hiding-places, they will often 
shelter themselves under leaves purposely 
laid, and may easily be looked for and de- 
stroyed each morning. Cockroaches and 
beetles may be caught in large quantities 
by setting Traps in their haunts in the shape 
of open saucers or wide-necked bottles, par- 
tially filled with treacle, or any sweetened 
- liquid. The Traps should be set so that the 
insects may enter them, but not get out again. 
Bottles partially filled with sweetened beer, 
or treacle, and suspended in vineries, often 
prove excellent Traps for catching large 
flies and wasps, which attack and eat the 
grapes. 
TRATTENIKIA. A synon of arshalli 
(which see). eG aes ee r 
(named in honour of Prof. 
 TRAUTVETTERIA 
Ernest Rud. Trautvetter, a Russian botanist of this 
century). ORD. Ranunculacee. A monotypic genus. 
The species is a hardy perennial, thriving in ordinary 
soil. It may be propagated by divisions. 
poi liko, very caducous; petals none. July and A 
palmately lobed; radical ones large, the bes toothed and 
America and Japan. (B. M. 1680 ct oo Cimicifug 
palmata.) SYN. Actæa palmata. Í ; Ta 
TRAVELLERS JOY. A common šle 
OY. name for Cle- 
matis Vitalba (which see). 
TRAVELLERS - TREE. A popular i 
Ravenala madagascariensis UNIE bas), D o 
Gazania (which see). 
A common name for 
