24 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



ANI 



Animated Oats. See Avena. 

 Anise. Pimpinella anisum. 

 Aniseed Tree. See Illicium. 



Annuals. These include all plants which spring 

 from the seed, flower and die within the course 

 of a year. IVIany, however, which are not 

 strictly of annual duration, but which are 

 sown every year, in preference to housing the 

 roots over winter, are generally classed under 

 the head of Annuals. To produce the best 

 results where such seeds are to be sown in the 

 open border, the soil should be enriched with 

 stable manure or other fertilizer, just as for a 

 crop of vegetables or fruits ; thoroughly dug, 

 and raked level and smooth. The location for 

 nearly all kinds of Annual flowers should be 

 free from shade, though many sorts will suc- 

 ceed well where they get sunlight for half the 

 day only. Hardy Annuals are those which 

 require no artificial aid to enable them to 

 develop, but grow and flower freely in the 

 open air. All such may be sown in the open 

 ground as soon as the soil is dry enough in 

 spring to work. Tender Annuals are generally 

 of tropical origin, and should not be sown in 

 the vicinity of New York until the first week 

 in May. Indeed, the best rule for all sections 

 of the country, from Maine to Florida, is not 

 to sow the tender kinds until such time as the 

 farmers begin to plant Corn, Melons and 

 Cucumbers. Many seeds of Annuals may be 

 sown thickly and transplanted, thinning them 

 out suQiciently to allow the plants to develop 

 and exhibit their true character. Successive 

 sowings of many of the showy species will be 

 found to prolong their flowering season. They 

 are usually sown in rows from six to twenty- 

 four inches apart, or in circular patches of 

 from one to two feet in diameter, each circle 

 being from one to two feet apart, according to 

 the growth of the variety. But whether sown 

 in rows or in circular patches, the soil should 

 be first loosened, so that the seed may be cov- 

 ered from one quarter of an inch to one inch 

 in depth. After the seed is sown, shake over 

 it fine soil, sufficient to cover the seeds, lighter 

 or heavier according to their size. It is a 

 good plan to place a label in the centre of each 

 cii'cular patch or at the end of each row, so as 

 to mark where the seed has been sown, for in 

 nearly all soils there are the seeds of weeds, 

 which spring up often quicker than the flower 

 seeds do ; therefore it is necessary to know 

 exactly where the seeds have been sown, so 

 that the weeds can be pulled out or hoed up, 

 and not crowd and smother the young seed- 

 lings. Some of the more tender Annuals 

 require to be started in the green-house or 

 hot-bed, and, after being potted off into small 

 pots, and gradually hardened off, planted out 

 where they are to remain. 



Annular. Having a ring-like form. 



Anoe'ctochi'lus. From anoiktos, open, and chei- 

 los, a lip ; the apex spreading. Nat. Ord. 

 Orchidacem. 



These admired little plants have small, white, 

 rather inconspicuous flowers, but the want of 

 beauty here is fully compensated for, in the 

 rich and lovely markings of the leaves, which 

 are covered with a gold netwoi'k on a choco- 

 late-colored or olive-green velvet like ground. 

 They should be potted in a mixture of leaf- 

 mould, sphagnum and silver sand, and a bell- 



ANO 



glass kept continually over them, in the 

 warmest part of the hot-house, in order to 

 assimilate their present condition with theit- 

 native one in the hot, humid jungles of the 

 East, whence they have been derived. First 

 introduced from Java in 1836. 



Anomalous. Irregular, unusual, contrary to 

 rule ; as where a plant is very unlike the great 

 majority of those to which it is most nearly 

 allied. 



Anomathe'ca. From anomos, singular, and 

 theca, a capsule or seed pod. Nat. Ord. Irid- 

 acecB. 



Interesting little bulbous-rooted plants from 

 the Cape of Good Hope. A. cruenta is useful 

 for planting in masses, as it produces its 

 blood-colored flowers in great profusion. They 

 may be increased to almost any extent from 

 seed, and the young plants will bloom the 

 same season if sown in a gentle heat about 

 the early part of March, and afterward 

 removed to the open air. 



Ano'na. Custard Apple. From Menona, its 

 Banda name. Nat. Ord. Anonacecs. 



A South American and AVest Indian genus of 

 shrubs and trees, where several of the species 

 are cultivated for the sake of their fruits. A. 

 muricata, the rough Custard Apple, is a middle- 

 sized tree, growing abundantly on the savan- 

 nahs in Jamaica, and bearing a large, oval 

 fruit of a greenish yellow color, covered with 

 small knobs on the outside, and containing a 

 white pulp, having a flavor compounded of 

 sweet and acid, and very cooling and agree- 

 able. It is, however, too common to be much 

 esteemed by the wealthier people, though it is 

 much sought after and relished by the negroes. 

 The odor and taste of the whole plant is simi- 

 lar to that of the black currant. This fruit is 

 called by the natives Sour-sop. A. squamosa 

 is a low-growing tree or shrub, common in 

 both the East and West Indies. The fruit is 

 nearly the size of the head of an artichoke, 

 scaly, and of a greenish yellow color. The 

 rind is strong and thick ; but the pulp is deli- 

 cious, having the odor of rose-water, and tast- 

 ing like clotted cream mixed with sugar. It 

 is, like many other fruits, said to have a much 

 finer flavor in the Indian Archipelago than in 

 the "West Indies. The local name for this fruit 

 is Sweet-sop. A. cherimolia, a South American 

 species, is known as the Cherimo^er in Peru, 

 where it is accounted one of their best fruits. 

 The tree which produces this fruit has a trunk 

 about ten feet high ; the leaves are oval, and 

 pointed at both ends ; the flowers are solitary, 

 very fragrant, and of a greenish color; the 

 fruit is large, heart-shaped, rough on the out- 

 side, and greyish-brown, or nearly black, when 

 ripe. The flesh, in which the seeds are con- 

 tained, is soft, sweet and pleasant, and highly 

 esteemed both by natives and foreigners. A. 

 palustris yields the Alligator Apple, which fruit 

 is shining and smooth in appearance, sweet 

 and not unpleasant to the taste ; but it is a 

 strong narcotic, and therefore not generally 

 eaten. The wood of the Alligator Apple tree 

 is so soft and compressible, that the people 

 of Jamaica call it cork-wood, and employ it for 

 stoppers. 



Ano'pterus. From ano, upward, and pteron, a 

 wing ; in reference to the seeds, which are 

 winged at the apex. Nat. Ord. SaxifragacecB. 



