694 THE 
DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Styrax—continued. 
S. Obassia (Obassia).* 7. white, fragrant, lin. to l}in. in’ 
diameter, numerous, secund, nodding, disposed in racemes 
6in. to 8in. long. fr. ovoid-oblong, as large as a Hazel-nut. 
l. elliptic or roundish, cuspidate, Sin. to 8in. long and broad, 
etiolate, denticulate, cano-tomentose beneath, in autumn 
ecoming suffused with yellow and blotched with red. Japan, 
1888. Hardy. (B. M. 7039; G. C. 1888, iv., p. 133, f. 14.) 
SUB-CLASS. A group of orders next in importance 
to a Class. 
SUB-EROSE.  Siib-crose means 
Subérose (Suber-like) means Cork-like. 
SUB-KINGDOM. The highest sub-division of a 
Kingdom; e.g., the Phenogams and the Cryptogams of 
the Vegetable Kingdom. - 
SUB-SHRUB. See Under-shrub. 
SUBTEND. To embrace in its axil. 
SUCCULENT PLANTS. The chief characteristics 
of Succulent Plants are their great diversity and 
peculiarity of form, and on this account alone they 
are worthy of cultivation, for they differ so much in 
appearance from the general run of plants as to afford 
a complete chanze to the eye. But besides being 
pecnliar, many are very ornamental and bear handsome 
slightly bitten; 
Succulent Plants—continued. 
cool (from 45degz. to 55deg.), with as much sun-heat in 
both cases as the plants can get during summer. 
However, if this plan is not convenient, the majority 
of Succulents may be grown in a temperature ranging 
from 50deg. to 60deg. in summer, and this may drop as 
low as 45deg. in winter. 
Most of the Succulents inhabit tropical countries and 
grow in dry, arid regions, where they are baked up for 
a great part of the year, and during the other portion 
are subjected to torrential rains interspersed with bright 
sunshine, together with a very warm atmosphere, and 
this is especially the case with Cacti. It is during this 
period that they make their growth and flower. During 
the remainder of the season they are at rest and are 
undergoing a ripening process. To secure these con- 
ditions as near as possible under artificial treatment, 
the plants should be started into growth in the spring 
by giving copious waterings, and also syringing overhead 
during April, May, and June. Towards the end of the 
last-named month the supply should be gradnally re- 
duced, and bnt little given during the rest of the season, 
the plants being allowed to become almost dry; while 
daring the winter, unless any of the plants show signs 
of shrivelling, none at all is reqnired. By reducing the 
water-supply early the plants are well ripened and 
Fic. 708. STROPHANTHUS DICHOTOMUS. 
flowers, and as such are worthy of being treated as 
something more than mere curiosities. 
Provided a few essential conditions be observed, there 
are few plants that are more easily cultivated than 
Succulents, or that require so little attention. The most 
important condition is that they should be provided with 
a house to themselves. There are many plants of this 
class that may be cultivated with a fair amount of 
success along with others requiring totally different 
conditions; but the suecess so obtained is never equal 
to what can be done when they are grown alone. 
The house should be very light, airy, and well drained. 
The drainage is very important, as for a great part of 
the year the honse will require to be kept dry, and 
at no time should water be allowed to remain on the 
floors. For this reason it is advisable that the flooring 
of the honse be aboye the level of the surrounding 
ground; it is also better, if space permit, for a division 
to be made, one part of the structure to be warm (with 
a temperature of from 55deg. to 65deg.) and the other 
enabled to pass through our dull, damp winters. With- 
out thorough ripening flowers cannot be obtained. No 
shade at all is required, but plenty of ventilation shonld 
be given during hot weather; and excepting during the 
growing period the atmosphere of the house should be 
kept quite dry. 
All Suceulents should be grown in small pots. Even 
large plants require yery little root-room. ‘The soil 
should in nearly every case consist of good fibrous loam 
mixed with plenty of sharp silver-sand, broken bricks, 
and mortar rubbish; and plenty of drainage should be 
given. 
Repotting is not often necessary ; in fact, provided the 
drainage is good, most of the Succulents will do for 
several years in the same pot. When necessary, the 
operation should be performed in the spring, during 
April and May. 
Propagation is very simple, as there are scarcely any 
other plants that root so easily from cuttings. Many 
are easily raised from seed, others throw up suckers. and 
