An Encyclopedia of Horticulture, 



Acanthus — continued. 



1. spinoslssimus (most spiny).*^. rosy, sessile, on a very 

 handsome spike, with acute, recurved spines. Autumn. I. 

 iiiciniate, piiinatitid, blistered, spiny ; spines white. A. Sift. South 

 Europe, 1629. 



Fig. 8. Acanthus mollis latifolius, 



A* Bplnosus (spiny).* /. purplish, spicate; sepals spiny. Summer. 

 I. deeply and regularly cut, each division terminated by a short 

 spine, h. 3ft. to 4ft. South Europe. See I'ig. 9. 



ACATJLESCENT. With apparently no stem. 



ACCESSORY'. Something additional, not nsaally 

 present. 



ACCRETE. Fastened with another body, and growing 



with it. 



ACCT7MBENT. Lying against anything, in distinction 

 to incumbent^ op lying upon. 



ACER (from acer, hard or sharp; wood is extremely 

 hard, and was formerly much used for making pikes and 

 lances). Maple. Ord. Sapindacece. A genus comprised, 

 for the most part, of handsome hardy deciduous 

 shrubs, or trees, adapted for forming shrubberies, 

 plantations, &c. Flowers greenish, except where men- 

 tioned. A. Pseudo-jilatanus is one of our most useful 

 forest trees. Several of the species produce very useful 

 timber ; sugar is one of the constituent parts of the sap of 

 all of them, and is obtained in large quantities from ^1. 

 saccharinum, in North America. They all prefer a some- 

 what sheltered position. The most satisfactory soil is 

 one free, deep, loamy, and well drained ; the latter is 

 especially desirable with some of the Japanese varieties. 

 The varieties of A. japonicum, and palmatum are well 

 worth growing in pots for conservatory decoration. Pro- 

 pagation : By seeds, sown either in autumn or spring, 

 covering them not more than a ^in. deep; the common 

 varieties may be sown outside, while the rarer ones should 

 be sown in a frame. By layers, and by grafting; the 

 latter method is adopted with many of the rarer species 



Acer — continued. 

 and varieties, especially the variegated kinds ; they are 

 also readily increased hy budding in summer. 



A. anstrlacmn (Austrian). Synonymous with A. campestre 

 austriacuiii. 



A, campestre (field) » Common Maple fi. on erect racemes. 

 May. jr. wings of fruit much divaricated. I. small, cordate, 

 \vith five-toothed lobes, h. 20ft. Britain. A small tree with 

 rough bark, full of deep fissures ; wood often beautifully veined, 

 when it is highly valued. 



A. c. austriacum (Austrian).* fi. much larger than those of 

 the species. Jr. smooth. Lobes of leaves somewhat acuminated. 

 SVN. A. austriacum,. 



A c. collinnm (hill-loving).* fl. smaller, fr. smooth, 

 leaves obtuse. France. 



Lobes of 



L c. hebecarpum (downy-fruited).* Jr. clothed with velvety 

 pubescence. 



Fig. 9. Leaf and Fi.owkr Simke of Acanthus spi.nosus. 



A, c. laevigatum (smooth-leavod). I. very smooth and shining. 

 A. c. nanum (dwarf). Dwarf luibit. 



A, c. tauricum (Taurian).* I. larger and less divided than in the 

 spucii's. 



A c. variegatum (variegated).* I. bcantifully variegated ^vith 

 blotrhes and stripes of white or whitish yellow; very dis- 

 tinct. 



A circinatum (circinnte).* fi. deep reil, nmbellate. April. I. 

 seven tu niiie-lobed, serrulated, h. 5ft. to 6ft. North West 



