STATIONS FOR FRUIT-TREES 829 



STELIS 



S. tomente'lla (finely- felted). Southern Russia. 

 vimi'nea (twiggy). See S. VIRGATA. 

 virga'ta (rod-like). \\. Blue. July. Mediterranean 



region. 1818. 

 W illdeno'vii (Willdenow's). J. Violet. July. France. 



1800. 



STATIONS FOB FRUIT-TREES. Unless the soil is 

 good, this is the best mode of planting ; and it often 

 renders draining unnecessary. If the soil be too wet, the 

 hole need only be half the prescribed depth ; the other 

 half may arise above the ordinary ground level. If too 

 dry, there is no occasion to elevate the surface, only 

 care must be taken not to place the collar of the tree too 

 deep, which is a serious fault under all circumstances. 

 Let the stations extend 3 feet on each side the position 

 for the tree, thus producing an excavation of 6 feet 

 square. Two feet in depth is amply sufficient for any 

 fruit-tree, especially for a dwarfing plan. The soil then 

 should be thrown entirely out, and 4 or 5 inches more 

 must be allowed for some impervious material, which 

 we will presently describe. In throwing out the soil, 

 care must be taken to place it in samples, or both labour 

 and material will be wasted. It very frequently happens 

 that three distinct samples of soil or subsoil will come to 

 Band during the operation.. Of course all clayey, or 

 sour, and badly-coloured subsoil must be rejected, and 

 its amount will be supplied by the new material to be 

 introduced ; and if this is scarce, any ordinary surface- 

 soil may be in part substituted. In filling the materials 

 back as;ain, the best of the original surface-soil must be 

 kept downwards, mixing it thoroughly with the new 

 soil ; the inferior or second-rate soil may be kept to 

 dress the surface with.J As to character of soil to be 

 introduced, that depends partly upon the soil already 

 existing in the garden, as well as on the kind of fruit- 

 tree about to be planted. If the soil is naturally sandy 

 and dry, a very stiff or clayey loam should be selected ; 

 if naturally clayey, any fresh, mellow, sandy loam, or 

 even the paring of roadsides, commons, or 'lanes, will 

 prove excellent material. The furrowings of old leys 

 from what is considered good wheat soil is, however, of 

 all other soils the best adapted for general fruit culture. 

 Whatever materials are used, let it be remembered that 

 the more of turfy matter that can be introduced, the 

 longer will the compost endure. Any sort of turf, even 

 from hungry situations, is most relished by fruit-trees. 

 If, nevertheless, no turf can be obtained, and the soil is 

 loose and poor, it is well to introduce any refuse vege- 

 tables of a dry character, such as decayed bean or pea 

 haulm, ordinary straw, old thatch, or, indeed, anything 

 of a decaying vegetable character which is strong in 

 fibre and enduring. If any manure is thought necessary, 

 it should be fresh from the stable or cow-shed, as such 

 will endure longer in the soil ; merely using one barrowf ul 

 of mellow and rather rich soil to plant the tree in. As 

 before observed, the most inferior portion of the soil 

 jnay be reserved to dress the surface of the station with 

 after the tree is planted ; here it will do no harm, and 

 will be in an improvable po:ition. We now come to 

 the hard materials for the bottom of the hole ; 4 or 5 

 inches in depth, as before stated. It matters not what 

 this is composed of : broken stones from quarries, brick- 

 bats, chalk, cinders, or clinkers, &c., all are eligible. 

 These being rammed hard, throw a coating of fine-riddled 

 cinders over the whole, or very fine gravel : this secures 

 drainage, and prevents the roots entering to any injurious 

 extent. 



STAUNTO'NIA. (Commemorative of George Siaunton, 

 who travelled in China. Nat. ord. Berberidaceae.) 



Evergreen climber requiring wall protection. Cuttings 

 of half-mature shoots in sandy soil, under a hand-light. 

 Well- drained soil. 

 S. hexaphy'lla (six-leaved). White. April. China ; 



Japan. 1876. 

 latifo'lia (broad-leaved). See HOLBOILLIA LATIFOLIA. 



STAUROCA'NTHUS. (From stauros, a cross, and 

 akantha, a spine ; two side-spines at the base of the prin- 

 cipal spine give it the resemblance of a cross. Nat. ord. 

 Leguminous Plants [Leguminosae], Linn. i6-Monadelphia 

 '6-Decandria. Referred to Ulex.) 

 S. aphy'llus (leafless). See ULEX GENISTOIDES. 



STAURANTHE'RA. (From stauros, a cross, and 



anthera, an anther ; the anthers are arranged in the 

 form of a cross. Nat. ord. Gesneraceae.) 



Stove herb. Seeds in a temperature of 60 to 65". 

 Fibrous loam, peat, a little leaf-mould, and sand. 

 S. grandifo'lia (large- leaved), i. Pale blue, orange, 

 Malaya. 1863. 



STAURO'PSIS. (From stauros, a cross, and opsis, 

 resemblance; the shape of the flower. Nat. ord. 

 Orchidaceae.) 



Stove epiphytical Orchids. Offsets. Fibre of peat, 

 sphagnum, and potsherds. 



5. Batema'nni (Bateniann's). See S. LISSOCHILOIDES. 

 fascia' ta (bundled). White, yellow, purple. India. 



1872. 

 gigante'a (gigantic). Yellow, with cinnamon spots ; 



lip white. March. Burma. 1858. 

 lissochiloi'des (Lissochilus-like). 3. Crimson, yellow. 



Philippines. 1845. 

 luchutfnsis (Luchuan). i-ij. Yellow, with brown 



spots. Luchu Archipelago. 1907. Climbing. 

 Philippine' nsis (Philippine). Red-brown ; lip purple, 



white. Philippines. 1894. Climber. 

 undula'ta (wavy). White, greenish, orange. N. India. 



1875- 



warocquea'na (Warocquean). Yellow, dotted with 

 red-brown ; lip white, rose. New Guinea. 



STAUROSTTGMA. (From stauros, a cross, and stigma, 

 the stigma ; in allusion to the cross-shape of the latter. 

 Nat. ord. Araceae.) 



Stove herbs with tuberous rootstocks. Offsets. 

 Fibrous loam peat, and sand, and kept on the dry side 

 in winter. 

 S. colubri'num (serpent-like). Green, purple, brown. 



Brazil. 1860. 



conci'nnum (neat), ij. White, red. Brazil. 1860. 

 ,, Langsdo'rffi (Langsdorff's). i. Green, purple. Brazil. 



1860. 

 lineola'tum (finely-lined). i-ij. Green, purple- 



brown. Brazil. 1860. 

 liischnathia'num (Luschnathian). ij. Green, yellow, 



red. Brazil. 

 ,, riedelia'num (Riedelian). 1-2. Green, creamy. 



Brazil. 1860. 

 ,, zebri'num (zebra-striped), Brazil. 1865. 



STAVES-ACRE. Delphi'nium Staphisa'gria. 



. (See GERMINATION.) It is a very un- 

 founded idea, that by steeping seeds in certain solutions 

 the vigour and fecundity of the plants to which they 

 give birth might be promoted. A certain degree of heat, 

 oxygen gas, and water are all the requisites for germina- 

 tion, and until this process has commenced, no liquid 

 but water at common temperatures will pass through 

 the coverings of a seed. So soon as germination has com- 

 menced, this power to exclude foreign fluids ceases, but 

 the organs starting into activity are so delicate, that the 

 weakest saline solutions are too acid and offensive for 

 them. So utterly incapable are the infant roots of im- 

 bibing such solutions, that at first they are absolutely 

 dependent themselves for their very existence upon the 

 seed-leaves, and if these are removed the plant either 

 makes no further advance or altogether perishes. To 

 hasten the germination of peas, beans, &c., it is a good 

 plan to soak them in water for twelve hours previously 

 to sowing ; and old seeds of all kinds have had their 

 germinating powers aroased by putting them into water 

 heated to 200, and allowing them to remain in it until 

 cold. 



STEIRONE'MA. (From sUira, a keel, and nema, a 

 filament ; in allusion to the keeled filaments. Nat. ord. 

 Primulaceae. Allied to Lysimachia.) 



Hardy perennial herbs. Divisions ; seeds. Ordinary 

 garden soil. 

 S. cilia'tum (ciliated). 2. Yellow. July. Europe ; 



N. Amer. 1732. 

 heterophy'llum (various-leaved), ij. Yellow. July. 



N. Amer. 1806. 

 longifo'lium (long- leaved). 2. July. N. Amer. 1798. 



STE'LIS. (From stelis, a parasitical plant, probably 

 Loranthus europceus. Nat. ord. Orchidaceae.) 



Stove epiphytical orchids. Offsets and divisions, 

 Fibre of peat, sphagnum, and crocks in small pots. 



