146 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Hippophae continued. 



1. linear-lanceolate, bluntish, dotted, silvery beneath. Branches 

 ending in a spine, h. 2ft. to 20ft. Europe (England), North and 

 Central Asia, Himalaya. H. saliciMia, the Himalayan form of 

 the species, is hardly different from the one which is found on the 

 English coasts. (Sy. En. B. 1245.) 



HIFFURIS (the old Greek name used by Diosco- 

 rides, from hippos, a horse, and oura. a tail; in allusion 

 to the resemblance of the stem to a horse's tail). ORD. 

 Halrnragece. A genus comprising one or two species of 

 glabrous aquatic herbs, natives of Europe, Central and 

 Northern Asia, North and Antarctic America. H. vul- 

 garis is the only species which calls for special men- 

 tion. It is a perennial, and thrives in a bog, pond, or 

 marshy situation. Propagated by division of the roots, 

 or by seeds. 



H. vnlgaris (common). Common Marestail. fl. greenish, minute ; 

 anthers red. Summer. 1. linear, strap-shaped, entire. Stems 

 simple, erect ; upper part projecting out of the water sometimes 

 to the height of Sin. or lOin., crowded by whorls of from eight to 

 twelve leaves. Europe (Britain), Asia, &c. (Sy. En. B. 516.) 



HIRSUTE. Clothed with somewhat soft hairs. 

 HISPID. Covered with rather stiff hairs. 

 HOARY. Covered with grey or whitish hairs, not 

 readily distinguished by the naked eye. 



HODGSONIA (named after B. H. Hodgson, F.L.S.). 

 ORD. Cucurbitacece. A genus consisting of only one (or 

 perhaps two) species. H. heteroclita is a remarkable 

 shrub, native of Eastern Bengal and the Malay Archi- 

 pelago. It requires an almost tropical heat and damp 

 in summer, but not in winter, when it ought to be kept 

 more cool and dry. It has not yet flowered in this 

 country. Propagated from imported seeds, or by cut- 

 tings, inserted in sandy soil, under a bell glass, in 

 bottom heat. 



H. heteroclita (anomalous). ft. yellow outside, white within, 

 large, with long filiform twisted appendages hanging from their 

 lobes ; very deciduous. May. fr. large, melon-like. I. per- 

 sistent, coriaceous, palmately lobeil ; lobes entire. The stems are 

 described by Sir Joseph Hooker as slender, frequently 100ft. long, 

 climbing the forest trees, and having their branching ends matted 

 together, and covered with leaves, which sometimes form a dense 

 hanging screen of bright green foliage. (C. H. P. 1, 2, 3.) 



HOES and HOEING. There are numerous forms 

 and varieties of Hoes adapted for use, according to the 

 special purpose for which any are required, and the 

 condition or nature of the soil, whether light or heavy. 

 They are indispensable garden implements for drawing 



FIG. 231. SWAN-NECKED DRAW HOE. 



drills for seeds, thinning and cleaning crops, breaking the 

 surface of the soil, earthing up, &c. The principal forms 

 are the Draw Hoe and the Dutch or Thrust Hoe, both 

 of which are manufactured in many widths. Draw Hoes 

 were originally all made with a short neck, and a circular 

 eye for fixing the handle in. In using these, the soil 



FIG. 232. TRIANGULAR HOE. 



gets much clogged on and around the eye. A great 

 improvement, which prevents this clogging considerably, 

 has now been effected by the almost general use of the 

 shape known as the Swan-necked (see Fig. 231). In 

 those, the handle is inserted in a socket, which is con- 



Hoes and Hoeing' continued. 



nected with the blade by a curved solid neck. The blade 

 should be made of steel plates, welded on iron necks. This 

 process was previously thought impossible, or at least 

 difficult, but is now readily accomplished. The width 

 of the plate varies from 2in. to 9in. in the different 

 sizes. Hoes with a flat triangular head, and three 

 points (see Fig. 232), are sometimes used for making 



FIG. 233. SPANISH OR VERNON HOE. 



drills; and the Spanish or Vernon Hoe (see Fig. 233) 

 is a form with only one point. Dutch Hoes (see Fig. 

 234) are very useful for destroying weeds, or for loosen- 

 ing the surface, where the soil is not too stiff or wet. 



FIG. 234. DUTCH HOE. 



A workman, in using the Dutch Hoe, walks backwards, 

 and, consequently, does not tread on the ground after it is 

 finished, as he does with the Draw Hoe. A combina- 

 tion Draw Hoe, or Mattock and Fork, sometimes termed 



FIG. 235. DRAW HOE AND FORK COMBINED. 



a Pickfork, is shown in Fig. 235. It is very useful for 

 loosening and breaking hard lumps of soil, and the forked 

 part is frequently utilised with advantage in unloading 

 manure. Another and stronger form of a similar descrip- 



FIG. 236. DRAG HOE OR PICKFORK. 



tion is represented in Fig. 236. Hoeing forms a consider- 

 able portion of routine work in gardens. Nearly all crops 

 are much benefited by the surface soil being kept loose ; 

 and large numbers of seedling weeds are destroyed, at the 

 same time, by running the Hoe through in dry weather. 

 The thinning of crops is much practised with Draw 

 Hoes. It should only be entrusted to workmen who 

 understand the use of the implement, as, otherwise, 

 many plants will be cut up that should have remained. 



