AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



331 



CirrliopetalTim continued. 



lengthened into thread-like points, 4in. or Sin. in length. Sum- 

 mer. L solitary, oblong, emarginate, coriaceous, deep green. 

 Pseudo-bulbs ovate, somewhat four-angled. Singapore, 1838. 

 (B. M. 4977.) 



C. Pahudli (Pahud's). JL reddish-brown, with bright red dots, 

 disposed in a large umbel ; sepals and petals turned back. L dark 

 green. Java, 1866. A very curious and interesting species. SYN. 

 C. flageUiforme. 



C. Thouarsii (Thouars's). JL produced in umbels on the apex of 

 the slender scape ; the long strap-shaped sepals are of a tawny 

 orange colour, whilst the remainder of the flower is yellow, 

 dotted with red. Summer. L solitary, oblong, obtuse, dark 

 preen, coriaceous. Pseudo-bulbs smooth, produced from a creep- 

 ing rhizome or stem. Java, Manilla, &c. (B. M. 4237.) 



C. tripndians (dancing).* ft. brown, purplish-white, disposed in 

 a nodding raceme of nine or ten blossoms. Burmah, 1876. This is 

 described as a rather modest, but pretty, plant. 

 CIKRHOSE. Tendrilled ; haying tendrils or claspers, 



as the Pea. 

 CIRSIUM. See Cnicus. 



CISSAMPELOS t.from Kissos, the Greek name of Ivy, 

 and Ampelos, a Vine ; the plants resembling Ivy in their 

 rambling habit, and the Vine in having the fruit in racemes). 

 Pareira Brava Boot. OKD. Menispermacece. Stove climb- 

 ing shrubs. Eacemes axillary; male ones often trichoto- 

 mously branched, somewhat corymbose, solitary, twin or in 

 threes, bearing many flowers at the top of the pedicels; 

 female racemes simple, elongated, bearing broad alternate 

 bracts. Leaves simple, stalked, orbicular, ovate, heart- 

 shaped or peltate, mucronnlate at the apex. These plants 

 grow freely in fibrous loam. Cuttings root readily, with 

 a hand glass placed over them, in heal The majority of 

 the species require a great deal of room to spread, before 

 they arrive at a flowering stage. 



C. mauritiana (Mauritian).* JL yellow, green ; male racemes 

 axillary, in pairs or numerous. L cordate-orbicular, pubescent- 

 villous ; those of the male plants peltate. Branches hispid. 

 Mauritius, 1820. 



C. Pareira (Pareira). Caapeba. JL greenish ; female racemes 

 longer than the leaves. July. I. peltate, somewhat cordate, 

 ovate-orbicular ; under surface silky-pubescent. Branches 

 smooth. Martinico, Jamaica, &c., 1733. (B. M. PL 15.) 

 There are about a score other species. 



CISSTTS (from Kissos, Ivy ; in reference to the habit). 

 OBD. AmpelidecB. This genus is now generally merged 

 into Vitis. Climbing plants, with cymes or corymbs of 

 small greenish, yellow, or purplish flowers, and simple, 

 trifoliate, or palmate leaves. 



As a roof climber, or bracket or trellis plant, C. discolor 

 is universally admired. Two parts turfy peat, and one of 

 loam and leaf mould, with a fair proportion of gritty sand, 

 suits it well, either for basket or pot culture, or for 

 planting out. Of course, in the latter case, the soil used 

 will be coarser, and the drainage must be more ample. It 

 thrives well in large pots ; but for a fine growth over lofty 

 roof girders or arches, or up pillars, it is best planted out. 

 It luxuriates in bottom heat, displaying an unusual size 

 and colour of leaf when growing freely in a surface tem- 

 perature of 70deg., and a bottom heat of SOdeg. Still, it 

 also grows and colours well without bottom heat, and in 

 the usual temperature of the plant stove. Propagation is 

 easily effected by cuttings ; more so in the spring than at 

 any other season. There are, then, two modes of rooting. 

 One consists in choosing the weakly shoots that are pruned 

 just before the plants break into new growth. The other 

 plan is even more successful : allow the young shoots to 

 grow to a length of about 2in. ; then cut them off, with a 

 small piece of the base branch adhering to the young wood ; 

 or the shoots may be cut off with one or several of these 

 young branchlets on them. Cut the old branch through at 

 the base of each young one, and insert the cuttings with 

 this heel of old wood entire. Very sandy soil or pure sand 

 should be used for them. The cuttings should be plunged 

 in a sharp bottom heat, in a close frame. They strike all 

 the sooner if protected with bell glasses. Pot off BO soon 

 as rooted, and push on in a temperature of 70deg. to SOdeg. 

 When the plants are in full growth, and making long and 



Cisans continued. 



strong shoots, they wiU be greatly benefited by the 

 application of a little manure water. Great care must, 

 however, be taken to use only a very weak solution ; other- 

 wise, instead of assisting the plants, it will prove very 

 detrimental to them. 



C. discolor (various-coloured).* JL greenish-yellow ; cymes some- 

 what qnmquefld, shorter than the leaves. August L cordate- 

 oblong, acuminated, the edges furnished with bristly serratures ; 

 upper surface of a bright velvety-green, spotted or mottled 

 with white; under side of a deep reddish-purple: both sur- 

 faces, u well as the angular branches, smooth. Java, 1854. 

 (B. M. 4763.) 



1 C. porphyrophyllus (purple-leaved). A synonym of Piper 



CISTERNS. These may be made of galvanised iron or 

 slate, when required to be movable or only of a moderate 

 size. As permanent reservoirs for water, Cisterns are 

 generally constructed with stone or brick, and coated 

 inside with cement. The superior value of rain water 

 over any other for plant cultivation and garden purposes 

 generally, is unfortunately often overlooked when building 

 ; glass houses, as it is frequently conducted to drains when 

 ' accommodation for its reception should be provided in the 

 . shape of Cisterns. These can be placed above or below 

 ' ground, either inside or adjoining the houses, and, in 

 addition, should be provided with means of supply from 

 ; another source when rain water fails. An overflow pipe 

 should be attached, and, if practicable, arranged so as to 

 unscrew and open a passage at the bottom, to allow of the 

 Cistern being cleaned out. Iron Cisterns require galvanis- 

 ing in all cases, as this prevents the iron causing rust or 

 > otherwise affecting the water. Almost all sizes may be 

 I purchased ready for use, and are well adapted for placing 

 j in houses where permanent ones are not constructed, so 

 I that water may stand and become warmed before being 

 ! applied to the plants. Cold water is very injurious to 

 : plants growing in a warm temperature ; hence the neces- 

 sity for Cisterns of some sort, placed near or over hot- 

 water pipes if possible, and kept filled with water ready 

 for use. Where hard water has, of necessity, to be used 

 for pot plants outside in summer, it may be materially 

 softened by being placed in large open Cisterns, and ex- 

 posed for a time to the air. Cisterns may also be used 

 successfully for cultivating, on a small scale, tropical or 

 hardy water plants. In connection with a heating appara- 

 tus, the cold-water Cistern should, in all cases, be placed 

 at least a few feet above the highest point of the pipes it 

 has to supply. The size of Cistern for this purpose is 

 ! immaterial, the important part being to keep it filled 

 ; with water. 



CISTINE.Si. An order of often viscid shrubs or 



herbaceous plants. Flowers showy, with five, or rarely 



! three, petals, which are very fugacious, usually lasting 



] only a day. Leaves entire, simple. The two best-known 



' genera are Cistus and Helianthemum. 



CISTUS (from kiste, a box or capsule ; alluding to the 



remarkable shape of the capsules). Gum Cistus; Bock 



i Eose. OKD. Cistinece. Elegant erect shrubs or sub-shrubs. 



1 Flowers large, handsome, resembling a single Rose, but 



ephemeral in character ; peduncles axillary, one or many- 



j flowered. Leaves opposite, exstipulate, entire, or some- 



! what toothed. Without exception, this genus is a most 



i charming one, and ought to be represented in every garden ; 



but, unfortunately, the species will only thrive happily in 



warm, sheltered positions. The texture of the flowers is 



very delicate; their colours are distinct and rich, and 



they are borne with great profusion during summer. In 



cold localities, they should be planted at the foot of a 



wall with a southern aspect. Propagation may be effected 



by seeds or cuttings, under hand glasses outside, or inside 



! with a gentle bottom heat ; but seedlings always make 



i the best plants. The seeds should be sown early in spring, 



I in pans or boxes, in a frame, and lightly covered with 

 sifted sandy mould. The seedlirgs will come up without 



