TO THE FLOWER GARDEN. 255 



double-flowered variety, jlore-pleno, is a beautiful shrub, 

 with double white button-like blossoms. S. grandijiora is 

 the best. 



SPIRONEMA. [Commelinacege.] Greenhouse herbaceous 

 plants, with fragrant flowers. Sandy loam and peat. Division 

 and seeds. 



SPLEENWORT. See Asplenium. 



SPREKELIA. [Amarylli^xcese.] Beautiful stove or 

 greenhouse bulbs. S. formosissima, the old Amai'ijllis for- 

 mosissima, is imported atniually in large quantities. This 

 species should be potted directly the bulbs come over in 

 loam, rotted dung, and coarse sand, equ^ parts, buiwing half 

 the bulb in the soil ; they should be placed in a common 

 hotbed such as cucumbers are grown in, and will not be long 

 before they commence growing and blooming, producing 

 flowers of the richest crimson, exposing the entire inner 

 surface of the petals : these last some time in perfection if 

 removed to the conservatory or the dwelling-house. They 

 may be grown as greenhouse bulbs, keeping them in the 

 house on a very light shelf while the leaves are growing, and 

 watering with weak manure water while in full vigour ; then 

 ripening off, and keeping the bulbs quite dry in winter until 

 they show signs of flowering. Increased by offsets. 



SPRENGELIA. [Epacridaceae.] Greenhouse evergreen 

 shrubs. Sandy, fibry peat. Cuttings in sand under a bell- 

 glass. S. incarnata, flowers flesh colour. 



SPRUCE FIR. See Abies. 



SPURGE. See Euphorbia. 



SPURGE LAUREL. See Daphne. 



SQUILL. See Scilla. 



STAPELIA. [Asclepiadacese.] Succulent plants, re- 

 quiring stove heat at certain seasons to bring them to per- 

 fection : they have four-angled fleshy stems, and star-shaped 

 flowers of curious appearance. Including the allied genera, 

 Orbea, Tromotriche, Tridentia, Podanthes, Ohesia, Davallia, 

 Gonostemon, and C avuncular ia, all once called Stapelia, the 

 genus is a very large one. Any of the species are worth 

 growing ; but we should not omit to select S. grandiflora , 

 which has large dark purple flowers early in winter ; nor. 

 S. hufonia, which has yellow flowers, marked with black, in 



