AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



487 



VOL 



two best authenticated species are V. aculeata 

 and V. Acerbiana from Nubia. They succeed 

 well in a compost of sandy loam and leaf 

 mould, and are increased by cuttings. Syn. 

 Clerode7idron. 



Volubilis. Twisting or twining round some 

 other body. 



Volute. Rolled up in any way. 



Voy'ria. From Voyra, the name of a species in 

 Guiana. Nat. Ord. GentianacecE. 



A genus of tropical American plants con- 

 necting GentianacecB with Orobunchacece,, inas- 

 much as the species are parasitical on the 

 trunks of old trees, and have only minute, 

 scale-like leaves. The tuberous roots of V. 

 rosea are of a reddish color externally and 

 white within, they are baked and eaten in 

 Guiana like Potatoes. 



WAL 



Vrie'sia. Named in honor of Dr. W. de Vriese, 

 Professor of Botany at Amsterdam, Holland. 

 Nat. Ord. Bromeliacece. 



This genus is the most remarkable of the 

 Natural Order to which it belongs. There are 

 but few species, the most interesting being 

 V. spectosa (syn. Tillandsiasplendens), a native 

 of Brazil. The beauty of this species consists 

 in the tall spike of brilliant scaiiet bracts, 

 from which the flowers are produced. The 

 flowers are yellow and quite transient, but 

 the rich color of the bracts continues a long 

 time. The plant has the general appearance 

 of the BiUbergia, and requires the same treat- 

 ment. Introduced in 1844. This genus is now 

 included under Tillandsia by some authors. 



Vulnerary. Useful in the cure of wounds. 



Vulviform. Like a cleft, with pi'ojecting edges. 



w. 



"Txraahoo or Burning Bush. 



Eiionymiis atro- 



purpureus. 



"Wachendo'rfia. Named in honor of J. E. 

 Wachendorf, a Dutch botanist. Nat. Ord. 

 HcBmodoracece. 



A small genus of Cape plants, usually of- 

 fered in seedsmen's catalogues as bulbs, more 

 from their Ixia-like flowers than tlie shape of 

 their roots. They all have rhizomes or un- 

 derground stems, in the scales of which buds, 

 like little bulbs, form, by which, when de- 

 tached, some of the species are propagated. 

 The flowers are yellow or violet, scattered on 

 slender scapes about a foot high. The species 

 are nearly evergreen, but not hardy. They 

 should be grown in pots, which should be 

 large for the size of the plant, and allowed a 

 partial rest soon after flowering, which is in 

 midsummer. Introduced in 1770. Syn. Pedi- 

 lonia. 



Wahlenbe'rgia, Named in honor of Dr. George 

 Wahlenberg, author of "Flora Lapponica, " 

 etc. Nat. Ord. Campanulacem. 



This genus consists of hardy annuals and 

 perennials, with a few tender annuals. They 

 are mostly natives of the Cape of Good Hope. 

 Like the whole of the order, these are very 

 pretty plants. The herbaceous perennial 

 species, one of the best of which is W. grandi- 

 flora, of which there are white and blue vari- 

 eties, are very handsome. Seed sown in June 

 will give fine flowering plants the next sea- 

 son. The annuals should be raised in heat in 

 the spring, and planted out when danger from 

 frost is passed. Introduced in 1816. 



Wai'tzia. In honor of F. A. C. Waitz, an 

 Eastern traveler. Nat. Ord. CompositcB. 



A genus of showy "everlasting flowers," 

 all of which are half-hardy, growing from one 

 to two feet high, and bearing beautiful pink 

 or yellow flowers. Natives of Australia, and 

 requiring a warm soil and situation for their 

 perfect development. 



Wake Robin. A common name for Trillimn 

 cernuum, also for Arum maculatum. 



Waldstei'nia. Named in honor of Count von 

 Waldstein, a German botanist and author. A 

 small genus of Rosacece, comprised of four 

 species of hardy, creeping, perennial plants, 

 with the aspect of S(niie of the Poteutillas. 

 The leaves are pahnately divided, and the 

 flowers yellow in terminal corymbs. They 

 are natives of central and eastern Europe, 

 northern Asia and America, and are rather 

 pretty plants, thriving in ordinary soil. W. 

 fragarioides (Barren Strawberry) is common 

 on the Alleghanies. Syns. Dalibarda and Co- 

 maropsis. 



Walking-Fern. A name sometimes given to 

 Lycopodium alopecuroides. 



Walking-Leaf or Walking-Pern, A common 

 name for Camptosorus rhizophyllus. 



Walks. It was Downing, we believe, who laid 

 down the common-sense rule, that in the lay- 

 ing out of walks or drives in the garden or 

 pleasure-ground, there " never should be any 

 deviation from a straight line unless for some 

 real or appai'ent cause." So, if curved lines 

 are desired, trees, rock, buildings or mounds 

 must be placed at the bend or curve, as a 

 reason for going round such obstacles. If 

 any one doubts the necessity for this rule, let 

 him observe the effect produced on level 

 ground, where a line runs in corkscrew fash- 

 ion, as is sometimes seen in the space between 

 the house and the street. The absurdity is 

 apparent, for no matter what leisure one may 

 have, to be compelled to go a roundabout way 

 to reach a point where there is no apparent 

 reason or necessity for it, is certain to grate 

 on the senses; yet ridiculous as this is, such 

 cases are by no means rare, as there is a pre- 

 vailing notion that such walks or drives must 

 be curved lines (the curve being the line of 

 beauty), whether the necessities, natural or 

 artificially formed for such lines, are present 

 or not. Often the formation of new grounds 

 is totally ruined in this way. The proprietor, 

 entirely ignorant of what is wanted, places 

 himself in the hands of some ignorant gar- 

 dener, who pretends to a knowledge of what 



