96 



HENDERSON'S HAND:B00K OF PLANTS 



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the impediment of a food-supply train, and 

 secondly, tliat it greatly increased both the 

 muscular strength and wind of the soldier so 

 that he could march more rapidly and steadily 

 and not become so easily tired out or dis- 

 couraged. It has also been ascertained that 

 horses like it, which is a very important 

 point, and that its alimentary power is equal 

 to that of twice its weight in oats, and that it 

 plainly exerts an exciting action on the nerves 

 and muscles of the horses. 



M. Elisee Eeclus, in several parts of his 

 " Nouvelle Geographic Universelle," mentions 

 the Kola nut. He states that the tree is held 

 sacred by the natives, who, by using it, are 

 enabled "to stand hunger and thirst for a 

 long while, and be shielded against fevers." 

 There are two kinds of the tree. One bears 

 white and the other red nuts. If the former 

 are sent by a chief they mean peace, if the 

 latter, war and the shedding of blood. When 

 in 1879, two French explorers, Moustier and 

 Zerafel, who were trying to find the head- 

 waters of the Niger, arrived in sight of the 

 hills from which this great Soudanese river 

 emerges, and were within four miles of the 

 main source, they had to come to a halt. The 

 negro sovereign of that region forbade them 

 to advance any nearer and sent them a red 

 Kola nut, as a token that if they disregarded 

 his notification to stop, blood would flow. 



The French Alpine Club uses the Kola nut, 

 and recommends it to mountain climbers. 

 No doubt it might often be made to serve a 

 good purpose in our countrj\ 



Colax. From Colax, a parasite. Nat. Ord. 

 OrchidaceoB. 



A small genus of very beautiful Orchids, 

 taken from Maxillaria. They are natives of 

 Brazil and may be grown in moss and in mod- 

 erate heat. Lycaste was formerly included in 

 this genus. 



Co'lchicum. Meadow Saffron. Named after 

 Colchis, its native country, in Asia Minor. 

 Nat. Ord. MelanthacecB. 



A hardy bulbous-rooted plant, which will 

 grow well in the border. The flowers come 

 up through the ground without the leaves in 

 autumn, and closely resemble those of the 

 Crocus. The leaves do not appear till the 

 following spring, and great care should be 

 taken of them, as, if they should be injured 

 so as to prevent them from exercising their 

 proper functions in maturing the sap, the bulb 

 will not flower the next autumn. The genus 

 is universally poisonous and is valued for its 

 medicinal properties. 



Cold Frame. This is the term used for the 

 low glass structure in use for protecting such 

 plants as are not sufficiently hardy to with- 

 stand the winter in the Northern States. They 

 are used to protect Cabbage, Cauliflower, Let- 

 tuce, Parsley, etc., among vegetables, and 

 Violets, Pansies, Daisies, Primroses, Carna- 

 tions, Auriculas, etc., among flowers. The 

 boxes or frames used are simply two boards, 

 running parallel with each other, and nailed 

 to posts to secure them in line, the one at the 

 back or north side being ten to twelve inches 

 in height, and that for the front, or south side, 

 being seven or eight inches, which gives pitch 

 enough to carry off the rain and to catch the 

 sun's rays. The width between these lines of 

 boards should be enough to take the length of 



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a six-foot sash, which is the most convenient 

 size. All the plants of the character above- 

 named can be protected in the district of New 

 York, where the thermometer rarely falls 

 lower than S° below zero, with the glass alone ; 

 but in colder sections the protection of light 

 shutters in addition, over the glass, will be 

 necessary. In the Southern States, in dis- 

 tricts where the thermometer never falls 

 lower than 15° above zero, many of the har- 

 dier green-house plants, such as Fuchsias, 

 Geraniums, Azaleas, Camellias, Verbenas, 

 Abutilons, etc., may be kept equally well in 

 cold frames, as our so-called hardy plants are 

 kept at the north. 

 Cold Grapery. See Vitis. 



Cold Pits. Are identical with cold frames, 

 except than an excavation of from two to four 

 feet is made below the general level of the 

 ground, so as to admit of larger plants being 

 placed in them. The sunken pit, however, is 

 a better protection than the cold frame on the 

 surface ; for, when sunk to the depth of two 

 or three feet, and covered with glass, it will 

 resist a much heavier frost than the frames on 

 the surface. Care must be taken that both cold 

 frames and cold pits are well drained, either 

 from the nature of the soil, or otherwise, as 

 water standing in them would be destructive 

 to the plants, whether planted in the soil or 

 growing in pots. 



Co'lea. Named after General Cole, Governor of 

 the Mauritius. Nat. Ord. BignoniacecB. 



There is but one species of this genus, 

 which is found in Madagascar, Mauritius, and 

 the adjacent islands. It is an exceedingly 

 ornamental green-house shrub, producing 

 large clusters of bright yellow flowers in 

 August and September. Propagated by cut- 

 tings. Introduced in 1839. 



Coleone'ma. A beautiful genus of Rutacece, 

 from the Cape of Good Hope, related to 

 Diosma, and consisting of very oi-namental 

 heath-like shrubs with sharp linear leaves and 

 white flowers. Of the four known species C. 

 Album is the most showy and best known. 



Coleus. From koleos, a sheath ; referring to 

 the way the bottom of the stamens or anther 

 threads are combined. Nat. Ord. Labiatce. 



This somewhat extensive genus are natives 

 of Asia and Africa. It consists of annuals, 

 sometimes perennials, and rarely shrubs, but 

 none of value as flowering plants but of gen- 

 eral use in ribbon gardening, massing, or any 

 situation where striking effect is wanted. 

 From the original species many varieties, 

 remarkable for their beautiful foliage, have 

 been produced by florists. They are readily 

 propagated by cuttings. The species were 

 introduced about 1825. 



Colewort. A name applied to varieties of the 

 Cabbage before the hearts become solid. 



CoUc Root. See Aletris. 



Coliseum Ivy. See Linaria. 



Colla'nia. Derivation of name unknown. Nat. 

 Ord. Amaryllidacea. 



A beautiful fi-ee-flowering green-house per- 

 ennial, allied to Alstrameria, which it resem- 

 bles. The species are natives of Peru and 

 will do well in this climate with the protection 

 of a frame. The flower stems are eiect, some- 

 what rigid, slightly curved at the top, and 



