AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



153 



Horse-Radish continued. 



In digging the large roots for use, it is only necessary 

 to insert the spade horizontally beneath them, and lift 

 the whole out. The secondary roots then form an ex- 

 cellent stock for treating in a similar way. Horse- 

 Radish should be allowed two or three years to develop, 

 and a plantation should be made annually to keep a 

 succession. All the side shoots surrounding the crown 

 should be removed, except the strongest one, and the 

 ground frequently hoed between the plants, in summer. 

 Any portion of the root grows, and forms a crown, 

 which sometimes renders the plant a nuisance. 



HORSE-RADISH TREE. See Moringa ptery. 

 gosperma. 



HORSESHOE VETCH. See Hippocrepis. 



HORSETAIL. See Equisetum. 



HORSFIELDIA (named after Thomas Horsfield, 

 1773-1859, an American botanist). STN. Schubertia. 

 OBD. Araliaceae. A genus comprising two species of tall 

 stove evergreen prickly shrubs, natives of Java, only one 

 of which has yet been introduced. Umbels capitnlifonn, 

 small ; panicles sub-sessile. Leaves alternate, petiolate, 

 cordate or peltate, three to five-lobed, or palmately five 

 to nine-fid, tomentose or woolly beneath. For culture, 

 see Aralia. 



H. aculeata (prickly), fl. greenish -y ellow ; panicle terminal, 

 densely clothed with stellate tomeutum. I. cordate, five-lobed ; 

 upper ones three-lobed, covered with stellate tomentum beneath. 



HORTENSIA. A synonym of Hydrangea (which 



HORTENSIS. Of or belonging to a garden. The 

 word is frequently contracted thus : hort. 



HOSACKIA (named in honour of David Hosack, 

 1769-1835, once Professor of Botany in the University 

 of New York). OBD. Leguminosa. A genus comprising 

 about twenty-five species of pretty dwarf hardy annual 

 or perennial herbs, found in Oregon, California, Mexico, 

 &o. Flowers yellow or reddish, usually disposed in 

 umbels. Leaves impari-pinnate, or rarely trifoliolate. 

 Hosackias are very rare in cultivation, but are well 

 adapted for rockwork, and thrive in any ordinary garden 

 soil. They may be easily increased by seeds, or by 

 divisions. 



H. blcolor (two-coloured), fl. six to ten in each umbel ; standard 

 and keel yellow ; wings white. Summer. I. with seven to nine 

 leaflets, h. lift. North America, 1823. Perennial. SYN. Lotus 

 pinnatus (under which name it is figured in B. M. 2913). 



H. crassifolla (thick-leaved), fl., umbels capitate, many-flowered, 

 nodding ; petals greenish, with chocolate-coloured middles. June. 

 {. pinnate, with an odd one ; leaflets opposite or alternate, ovate 

 or oval, mucronulate ; stipules herbaceous, ovate, acute, h. 3ft. 

 California. Perennial. (B. R. 1977, under name of H. stolonifera.) 



HOST A (of Jaoquin). A synonym of Corzmtia 

 (which see). 



HOSTA (of Trattinick). A synonym of Funkia 

 (which sea). 



HOTBEDS. These are composed of fermenting ma- 

 terial, prepared for supplying heat to plants, either in 

 frames or houses. They are also sometimes used for en- 

 couraging growth in tender plants or seedlings in the 

 open air. When properly managed, Hotbeds are extremely 

 useful, especially in spring, in supplying a moist, genial 

 heat for propagating and growing-on all sorts of soft- 

 wooded plants. Cuttings of the various bedding plants 

 required in quantities emit roots and grow much faster 

 on a Hotbed than when placed where there is only fire 

 heat. In preparing fermenting material of the best 

 quality, fresh stable litter should be secured and thoroughly 

 mixed with an equal portion, or a larger quantity, of newly- 

 collected leaves. If any part is dry, it should be well 

 watered when mixing, and the whole heap turned over 

 every alternate day for about a week. By this time, it 



Vol. II. 



Hotbeds continued. 



will be ready for forming a Hotbed, by building a heap 

 the shape of the frames to be used, and allowing an extra 

 width of 3ft. all round ; or for placing inside any perma- 

 nent pit of sufficient depth. It is important that the whole 

 should be firmly and evenly trodden, to insure against 

 any one part settling together closer than another, and 

 for securing a uniform heat throughout. All rank steam 

 should be allowed to pass off before any plants are placed 

 inside the frames, and shading should be applied during 

 sunshine, if there is a danger of steam being present. It 

 is well to allow a little ventilation at the top of the 

 frames or pits, night and day, for a short time after beds 

 are newly made up. Hotbeds made up on the surface 

 of the ground, for propagating purposes, should not be 

 less than 3ft. or 4ft. in thickness, apart from the neces- 

 sary filling up of the frame with similar material. Stable 

 litter, by itself, heats much too violently, and does not 

 last long ; when mixed with a good proportion of leaves, 

 the heating properties are somewhat slower, but of a 

 lasting description, and, consequently, much better suited 

 to the requirements of plants. A layer of ashes or cocoa- 

 nut fibre, placed over the surface, is extremely useful for 

 plunging small pots. 



HOTEIA JAFONICA. A synonym of Astilbe 

 japonica (which see). 



HOTTENTOT BREAD. See Testudinaria Ele- 

 phantipes. 



HOTTENTOT CHERRY. See Cassine Manro- 

 cenia. 



HOTTENTOT FIG. See Mesembryanthemum 

 edule. 



HOTTONIA (named after P. Hotton, 1648-1709, 

 a Dutch botanist, Professor at Leyden). ORD. Primu- 

 lacece. A genus comprising two species of hardy peren- 

 nial aquatic herbs, natives of Europe, North-west Asia, 

 and North America. Flowers white or lilac, dimorphic, 

 honeyed, in whorls, forming a terminal raceme. Leaves 

 pinnatifid, submerged. H. palustris, the species usually 

 seen under cultivation, is a handsome plant. It thrives 

 in shallow ponds. Propagated by divisions, in spring; 

 or by seeds, sown at the same season. 



H. palustris (marsh).* Featherfoil ; Water Violet, fl. lilac, with 

 a yellow eye, similar in shape to the Primrose ; whorls numerous. 

 June. I. submerged, deeply pinnatifid, with linear segments. 

 A. 1ft. to 2ft Europe (Britain), West Siberia. (Sy. En. B. 1128.) 



HOULLETIA (named after M. Houllet, a French 

 gardener). OED. Orchidece. A genus of about half-a- 

 dozen species of ornamental orchids, natives of Columbia 

 and Brazil. Perianth spreading ; sepals nearly free ; 

 petals a little smaller, unguiculate ; lip continuous with 

 the base of the column, which is erect, arched, and 

 clavate. Honlletias thrive in pots, in a compost of peat 

 and charcoal. Perfect drainage, and a liberal supply 

 of water during the growing season, are needed. Propa- 

 gation maybe effected by divisions of the pseudo-bulbs, 

 as growth commences. 



H. Brocklehnrstlana (Brocklehurst's). fl. 3in. to 3iin. in 

 diameter; petals orange-brown, with darker spots; lip yellow, 

 spotted with dark brown ; spikes about six-flowered, from the 

 sides of the short rounded pseudo-bulbs. Summer. I. broad, on 

 long petioles, pale green, h. lift. Brazil, 1841. (B. M. 4072.) 



H. Chrysantha (golden-flowered), fl. large, liin. broad; sepals 

 and petals golden-yellow, profusely blotched with chocolate ; lip 

 rich yellow, freckled with crimson ; spike from the base of the 

 flask-shaped pseudo-bulbs, six to eight-flowered. I. solitary, 

 narrow-elliptic, plaited. Columbia, 1872. (L H. xviii. 138.) 



H. Iiowiana (Low's), fl. yellowish-white, about liin. across ; 

 peduncles usually bent forwards or sideways, one to three- 

 flowered. I. cuneate, oblong-lanceolate, acute, plaited, unequal. 

 Pseudo-bulbs very short, whitish-green. Columbia, 1874. 



H. odoratissima (very sweet-scented).* fl. 2iin. across ; 

 orange-brown, striped with a lighter colour; hp white, 

 with yellow ; spike from the 

 green. A. lift. 



o-bulbs. I. light 



