AND GENERAL HOETICCLTURE. 



137 



ECH 



Echinate. Furnished with numerous rigid liairs 

 or straight prickles ; as the fruit of Castaneu 

 vesca, Amomum subulatum, etc. 



Echi'noca'ctus. From echinos. hedge-hog, and 

 cactus ; a name giv.en by Theophrastus to a 

 spiny plant. Nat. Ord. Caclacece. 



This genus is one of the most beautiful of 

 the order; the grotesque appearance of the 

 plants, crowned as they are at times with 

 their large flowers, renders them objects of 

 much attention among the admirers of this 

 class of vegetable forms. The soil we prefer 

 for their culture is a mixture of rich loam, 

 thoroughly decomposed manure, and sand, in 

 equal quantities. This must be well drained 

 by mixing small lumps of charcoal and pots- 

 herds with the earth, and by placing a layer 

 of the same material at the bottom of the 

 pots. Through the winter the plants shoula 

 be kept in a reduced temperature, such as 

 that of a green-house, and have little or no 

 water, but in summer they grow and flower 

 more freely if allowed a stove temperature 

 and a liberal supply of moisture. Bright sun- 

 light is essential to their vigor at all seasons, 

 but most particularly so in autumn and winter. 

 The genus comprises many species; more 

 than half of them natives of Mexico, the rest 

 being distributed throughout South America. 

 They are propagated by offsets, which should 

 be dried a few days after being taken off the 

 plant. First introduced in 1796. 



E'chinops. Globe Thistle. From echinos, a 

 hedge-hog, and opis, like; referi'ing to the 

 spiny scales of the involucre, or covering of 

 composite flowers. Nat. Ord. Compositce. 



A genus of hardy annual, biennial, and per- 

 ennial plants, generally with blue flowers, ar- 

 ranged in dense round clusters at the ends of 

 the branches, so that each cluster of flower- 

 heads has the appearance of a single head, 

 containing many florets. They are all of 

 easy culture, and will grow in almost any 

 situation. For moderate-sized gardens, they 

 are too rank growing and coarse to be useful. 

 They are natives of southern Europe, and 

 are propagated by seeds or division. 



Echino'psis. A small genus of Cactacem, now 

 generally placed as a section of Cereus. 



Echi'tes. From echis, a viper ; referring to the 

 snake-like coils of the twining shoots. Nat. 

 Ord. ApocynacecR. 



A genus of magnificent green-house climb- 

 ing plants, with yellow, white, red, and crim- 

 son flowers, and richly-veined leaves. They 

 closely resemble Dipladenia, which may be re- 

 feri-ed to for culture. It is an extensive 

 genus, pretty generally distributed throughout 

 South America and the East Indies. 



E'chium. Viper's Bugloss. From echis, a viper ; 

 seeds like the viper's head. Nat. Oi'd. Bora- 

 ginacece. 



Perennial, biennial, and annual plants gener- 

 ally with rich dark-blue flowers ; though 

 some of the kinds that are natives of the Cape 

 of Good Hope and the Canaries have red, 

 white, or violet flowers. They are easily prop- 

 agated by seeds or division of the root. 

 First introduced in 1683. 



Edelweiss. See Leontopodium. 



Edged. When one color is surrounded by a 

 ^•el•y narrow rim of another color. 



EGY 



Edgeworthia. Named for M. P. Edgeworth, 

 an East Indian botanist. Nat. Ord. Thyme- 

 lacece. 



Ornamental evergreen green-house shrubs 

 with yellow flowers, closely allied to Daphne. 

 Natives of China and Japan. 



Edwa'rdsia. In honor of Sydenham Edwards, 

 a celebrated English botanical draughtsman. 

 Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 



Half-hardy low trees and shrubs, with pin- 

 nate leaves and very curiously-shaped seed 

 pods and flowers, which are of a dark golden 

 yellow. They are beautiful plants for lawn 

 decoration, but must be protected in winter. 

 The species are all natives of New Zealand, 

 and are propagated by cuttings. Introduced 

 in 1772. Syn. Sophora. 



Eel-Grass. See Vallusneria. 



Effuse. Applied to inflorescence, and means 

 a kind of panicle with a very loose arrange- 

 ment. 



Egg-Plant. The Egg-Plant of our gardens is 

 Solanwn melongena, var. ovigenim, a native of 

 North Africa. It was first introduced into 

 England in 1596, but for a long time was little 

 known or used, owing much to the climate 

 being unsuited to the perfect development of 

 the fruit. In India and other hot countries 

 it is a favorite article of food, and for many 

 years it has steadily grown in favor in this 

 country. In India it is served up with sugar 

 and wine, and in Italy and France it is used in 

 stews and soups. Of this species there are 

 several varieties, the favorite being the " Im- 

 proved New York Purple," which is a strong 

 grower, the plants yielding from five to eight 

 fruits, some of which are of enormous size ; 

 the size, however, depends much on the soil 

 and method of culture. For perfection of 

 growth, a very rich soil, plenty of moisture, 

 and warm weather are required, with the ad- 

 dition of frequent hoeings. Under such cir- 

 cumstances, fruit seven inches in diameter 

 and eight to nine inches long, and weighing 

 five to six pounds, is easily obtained. There 

 are several other species occasionally grown in 

 our gardens, one having bright scarlet, another 

 white fruit, each about the size of a hen's egg, 

 which are chiefly grown as curiosities. The 

 white variety is edible, however, and is per- 

 haps the most delicately flavored. Seeds 

 should be sown about March 1st, in a tem- 

 perature at no time lower than 70" Fahr., 

 and from the seed bed pricked out in shallow 

 boxes, and from these, again, into small flower 

 pots, to be planted out in the open ground 

 when all danger from frost is past, as the 

 plant, being tropical, is at all times sensitive 

 to cold. 



Eggs and Bacon. Linaria vulgaris, and Lotus 

 corniculatus. 



Eggs and Butter. Linaria vidgaris. 



Eglantine. Sweet Briar. Rosa ruhiginosa. 



Egyptian Bean. See Dolichos Lablab. 

 Of Pythagoras. Nelumbium speciosum. 



Egyptian Lily. See Richardia. 



Egyptian Lotus. Nymphcea Lotus. 



Egyptian Pea. See Cicer. 



Egyptian Rose. Scabiosa arvensis, and S. 

 atropurpurea. 



Egyptian Thorn. CratcRgus Pyracantha. 



