AND GENERAL HORTICULTUKE. 



405 



SEC 



species have been introduced, but are proba- 

 bly lost to cultivation. Some of the species 

 contain an acrid jirinciple, which makes them 

 useful as medicines. Smyrna Scammony is 

 obtained from an Egyptian species. 



Se'cateur. Small hand-prvming shears, for- 

 merly used exclusively in France, but now 

 manufactured here and in general use. Thej- 

 can be used much more expeditiously and to 

 better advantage than a pruning knife U)V 

 shortening strong shoots on trees, pruning 

 roses, shrubs, etc. 



Se'chium. Choko. From sekiso, to fatten ; the 

 fruit serves to fatten hogs in tiie mountains 

 and inland parts of Jamaica, where the plant 

 is much cultivated. Nat. Ord. CucurhitacetB. 



S. eclule, the type of this genus, is an 

 annual, a native of the West Indies, where it 

 is extensively grown for its fruit, Avhich is 

 considered extremely wholesome, and is com- 

 monly used as an article of food by all classes. 

 The plant is climbing, supporting itself by 

 tendrils. The fruit is about four iuiihes 

 long, in substance between succulent and 

 fleshy, and is exceediuglj- nutritious. Besides 

 its utility as food for man, it is much used for 

 fattening animals. The roots are large and 

 in substance resemble the Yam; they are 

 also used as an article of food. 



Secretion. Any organic but imorganized sub- 

 stance produced in the interior of plants. 



Section. A term generally applied in classifi- 

 cation to a division in the arrangement of 

 species, genera, or other groups. 



Secuud. Having all the flowers, leaves, or 

 other organs, turned to one side. 



Securida'ca. From seairis, a hatchet : alluding 

 to the form of the wing at the end of the pod. 

 Nat. Ord. PolygalacecB. 



A genus of trailing shrubs, mostly natives 

 of tropical America, Asia and Africa. The 

 fruits, which are remarkable in the family, are 

 very much like one of tlie two-winged carpels 

 which make up the fruit of a Maple. The 

 Buaze Fibre-plant, S. longipedunndata, spoken 

 of by Dr. Livingston in his " Travels," belongs 

 here, and has been described and figured in 

 the botany of "Peters' Travels in Mozam- 

 bique " by Dr. Klotzsch, under the namt' of 

 Lophostylls pallida. The fibre resembles flax, 

 and simie of it brought home by Dr. Living- 

 ston, when tested, was pronounced equal to 

 flax, worth S2.50 to S300 per ton. Many of the 

 South American species ramble to a great 

 height over other trees, and are beautiful 

 objects when in flower. 



Securi'gera. From securi.'^. a hatchet, and gero. 

 to bear ; referring to the shape of the pods. 

 Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 



S. CoronUla, Axe-weed or Hatchet Yetch, 

 the only species, is a native of the south of 

 Europe. It is a hardy annual, bearing pedun- 

 cles of nodding yellow flowers, and is of easy 

 cultivation, only requiring to be sown in the 

 the open border in spring. 



Securi'nega. From securis, a hatchet, and 

 nega, to refuse ; in reference to the extreme 

 hardness of the wood. Nat. Ord. Euphor- 

 biacece. 



A genus of about eight species, only one of 

 which calls for notice here. S. diirissima, the 

 Otaheite Myrtle, the " Bois dur " of the colo- 

 nists, was introduced from Mauritius in 1793. 



SEE 



Noted principally for its exceedingly hard 

 wood, it is seldom found outside of a botanic 

 garden, and is readily propagated by cuttings 

 of the half-ripened wood. 



Sedges. A common name for the CyperacecB, of 

 which Cartx is the principal genus. 



Sedum. Stonecrop. From sedere, to sit ; the 

 plants are found growing upon stones, locks, 

 walls and roofs of houses. Nat. Ord. Crassu- 

 lace-cB. 



A very extensive genus of succulent, annual, 

 hard}-, herbaceous, perennial and evergreen 

 plants, common to almost every country and 

 climate. The hardy species of this genus are 

 well adapted for ornamenting rock-work. 

 Some of the species are remarkable for their 

 variegated foliage, of which *S. Sieboldi varie- 

 gatum is one of the prettiest. It grows about 

 one foot high, the leaves being blotched with 

 yellow. It is hardy, and is a variety of S. Sie- 

 boldi, a native of Japan. There are a number 

 of beautiful species indigenous to this coun- 

 try. All the species are of the easiest culture, 

 and may be grown from cuttings put in the 

 place where they are to grow, or by division. 

 Nearly all the species are worthy of a place in 

 the garden. S. Telephium is the common 

 Live-forever of our gardens, a native of 

 Europe, but has escaped from cultivation and 

 become naturalized in many localities. Most 

 of the species are, from their succulent char- 

 acter and resisting drought, well adapted for 

 rases, or for covering rough walls or rocks. 

 S. acre, a beautiful yellow-flowered variety, is 

 a well-known type of the genus, and its 

 variety S. acre variegatum is even more beau- 

 tiful. S. albida has beautiful white flowers 

 early in spring. Propagated by cuttings or 

 division. 



Seed Boxes. See "Propagation bj' Seeds." 



Seed Drill. This is the implement used in 

 sowing field crops of Onions, Carrots, Tur- 

 nips, etc. It can be adjusted so as to sow all 

 sizes of seeds. To use the seed drill success- 

 fully, the ground must be soft and smooth. 

 It fs never safe to use it in harsh, clayey or 

 stony soils. By its use onlj- about one-lourth 

 the quantity of seed is required than when 

 sown by hand ; and the plants coming up in 

 less numbers, they ai-e easier thinned out. It 

 is rarely used in small gardens. 



Seeds. GEOGKAPHicAii Distribtjtigx of the 

 LocaijITies Wheke they are Grown in the 

 United States. The subjoined article from 

 the Eeport of the Department of Agriculture 

 at Washington for 1878 was written by us in 

 that year, and we believe it will be found to 

 be of sufficient interest and importance to 

 warrant a place here. It is entitled. " LocAiii- 

 ties Best Suited for Maturing Seed," and 

 is as follows : 



Seed-growing is now getting to be one of 

 the industries of the United States, as it has 

 long been of Europe. Our great variety of 

 latitude, soil and climate is such that in many 

 things we are now supplying Europe with 

 that which a few years ago we imported ; and 

 I think it is safe to predict that in a majority 

 of the seeds of the garden the balance of trade 

 Avill ultimately be in our favor, as it is now 

 with a majority of the seeds of the farm. I 

 say a majority, for as seed-growing is a mat- 

 ter of latitude, there always will be some 



