An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



269 



Radish. — continued. 

 are transparent, and the third and fourth veins in each 

 converge slightly. The female differs from the male in 

 the broader body, and the ash-grey colour ; the stripes 

 on the thorax are faint-coloured, and there is only a 

 slender, dark line down the middle of the abdomen. 

 The larva; have neither head nor limbs, but are blunt 

 behind, and taper to a point in front. They are yellowish, 

 fleshy, and wrinkled. On tlie blunt hinder end are 

 several fleshy lobes, and breathing-pores in two groups 

 of three each. The larvtc oat into the roots, and cause 

 them to rot. When full-fed, they leave the roots, and 

 change, in the soil, into dull ochreous pupiu of the form 



Fig. 347. t'liiNA Rose Radish. 



usually met with in Diptera. The larva; of Anthomyia 

 fioccosa, Maoq. (? A. jinmlis. Fall.), also feed in the roots 

 of Radishes, Cabbages, and allied plants, as do likewise 

 the larviB of A. Bmssiew (see Cabbage Ply) and of 

 A. (Homalomijia) fonicitlaris ; and those of A. Raphaiii 

 feed on Radishes in North America. All of these insects 

 are very like the Radish Fly, and it is unnecessary to 

 describe them, since the habits of all are much the 

 same in all stages. The larvjc have been found in large 

 numbers feeding in dung, and the insects have l)Gen 

 reared from this. It has also been observed that when 

 ground is manured with farmyard dung, the root-crops 

 are apt to suffer from the attacks of larva; of these 

 flies. 



Remedies. The most effectual seems to be crude car- 

 bolic acid, in solution. Successful results have followed 

 its use, in the strength of half a pint of acid mixed with 

 one gallon of boiling water, to which about a quart of 

 soft soap has been added. This should be diluted with 

 fifty gallons of water ; or it may be used even in a weaker 

 solution. The plants should be watered with this fluid 

 every week, after they appear above ground. Instead of 

 this, much-diluted gas-water may be used ; or gas-lime 

 may be sprinkled along the rows. Farmyard manure is 

 not safe, if there are maggots in it ; mineral manures 

 may be substituted in their stead. 



Radish leaves are occasionally eaten by larv:^ of 

 the White Butterflies (Cabbage Caterpillars), and of 

 various Moths (Mamestra, Flusia, Potherb Moths), 

 as well as by the Turnip Plea (fhyllotreta nemormn), 

 and by other small beetles allied to it. The seeds are 

 destroyed in the fruits by larvaj of Cetithorhyiichus 



Badisli — continued, 

 assimilis (Turnip-seed Weevil), which is closely allied 

 to the Weevils that make galls on roots of Cabbage, 

 Turnip, Charlock, and Wild Mustard. For the nature 

 of the injuries in each case, and for the appropriate 

 remedies, see the heading quoted for each. 



SoKTS. Of these there are many in commerce which 

 may be classed as Long-rooted and Turnip-rooted varie- 

 ties. There are also intermediate globular forms, and 

 the.se are much esteemed. The following varieties are 

 amongst the best : 



Black Spanish, an excellent hardy sort for iiutuinn and winter use. 

 China Rusk, root ohlony; or somewhat coiiirnl, lirij;lit rose- 

 coloured : also a tine variety fur autunni anil winter (se*' l-'i;;. 547). 

 Eaklv Fhamr (Wooil's), one of the earliest, slnnter tliaiL the LONG 

 Scarlet, of which it is a sub-variety ; tine fur forcing. Kaiilv 

 Rose Globe, a very early and much-esteenieil sort, of a fine. 



.^^ 



Fk;. 548. Early Rose Globe Radish. 



clear rosy -.scar let, compact (see Fig. 348 J. French Breakfast, 

 a beautiful olive-shaped variety, with white tip, of quick growth, 

 and very luild flavour ; one of the t)est for forcing and summer 

 use. Long Scarlet, Short-top, one of the best and must 

 esteemed long varieties, because of its bright colour ; much cul- 

 tivated for market. Olive Scarlet, an excellent sort, of quick 

 growth and fine colour. Red TritMr-U(Kiri;ii, cri.sp, and of mild 

 flavour ; very extensively grown fur niaikil. and well adapted for 

 general summer use, because it witlistauds dry wuather. White 

 Tci{-Mi'i{u(rrKi) has a white skin, but otherwise differs very 

 littli' fruiii tlic red variety ; it is equally good, but the colour of 

 the latter is generally preferred. 



RADIUS, RAY. The circumference of the circle 

 formed hy umbel-: or heads, or of other such parts. 



RADIX. The root ; the descending axis ; that part 

 which iH the development of a radicle. It differs from 

 a stem, not only in its origin, btit in not branching 

 symmetrically, and in having no normal leaf-buds. 



RAFFIA OR ROFFIA PLANT. See Raphia 

 Ruffia and R. tadigera. 



RAFNIA (named in honour of C. G. Kafn, a Danish 

 botanist, who wrote a Flora of Denmark, in 179G). 

 Ord. Ler/(tmiHo.sa?. A genus comprising twenty-two 

 species of glabrous, and often glaucous, greenhouse 

 shrubs or sub-shrubs, confined to South Africa. Flowers 

 yellow, solitary or shortly racemose, terminal or in the 

 axils of bracts ; calyx unequally five-fid, the lowest seg- 

 ment narrowest ; corolla glabrous ; standard roundish ; 

 keel incurved, rostrate or obliquely truncate. Pods 

 linear or lanceolate. Leaves simple, entire, one-nerved 

 or reticulate-veined. The species, a selection of which 

 is given below, thrive in a compost of fibry loam and 

 sandy peat, with the addition of pieces of charcoal and 

 broken pots, to keep the whole rough. Attention to 

 drainage is an important point. Propagation may be 

 effected, at the beginning of summer, by cuttings of firm 

 side shoots, inserted in sand, and covered with a bell 

 glass ; or, in spring, by seeds, sown on a hotbed. 



R. angulata (angular-branched), j!., upper and lateral calyx 

 lobes nearly as long as the calyx tube or somewhat longer ; 

 flowering branchlets forked. May. L iiu. to IMn , long, oblong- 



