AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



429 



Shepherdia continued. 



S. canadengis, tapering at base, sUvery on both sides. Tall 

 shrub or small tree. 1820. 



S. canadensis (Canadian), jt. yellowish, covered with rusty 

 scales. May. fr. yellowish-red, insipid. L elliptic or ovate, 

 nearly naked and green above, beneath silvery-downy and scurfy 

 with rusty scales, h. 3ft. to 6ft. 1759. 



SHEPHERD'S CLUB. > Verbascum Thapsus. 



SHEPHERD'S KNOT. A common name for Poten- 

 tilla Tormentilla. 



SHIELD-BUDDING. See Budding. 



SHIELD FLOWER. The popular name for Aspi- 

 distra. 



SHIELD-SHAPED. Bound or oral and fiat, with 

 a stalk attached to the lower surface. See Clypeate, 

 Peltate, and Scutate. 



SHINGLE OAK. See Quercus imbricaria. 

 SHOEBLACK-PLANT, or SHOE FLOWER. 



A common name for Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. 



SHOLA OR SOLAH PLANT. A common name 

 for JEschynomene aspera. 



SHOOTING STAR. A common name for Dode- 

 catheon Meadia. 



SHOT, INDIAN. See Canna. 



SHOVELS. There are several sorts of these, all of 

 which are found useful in gardens. Shovels are lighter 

 than spades, and better adapted for shifting light soil, 

 short, loose manure, sand, gravel, Ac. Square-topped 

 Shovels, having their two side edges slightly turned up, 

 are most generally useful ; those with a somewhat shield- 

 shaped point are well adapted for shovelling gravel and 

 stones. Stoke-hole Shovels should be made chiefly or 

 entirely of iron, in order that they may withstand the 

 heat to which they become subjected in stoking. The 

 pan is be?t made long, and not very wide, as, when 

 charged with coke, it may then be readily emptied into 

 the furnace without coming into contact with the front, 

 which is often very limited in width. 



SHRIVELLING. A condition met with in im- 

 mature fruit on plants growing in unfavourable con- 

 ditions. The fruits, after being properly set, so far as 

 can be judged from their appearance, begin to wither, 

 and finally shrivel and fall off without ripening, so 

 that the yield of fruit is frequently much lessened. 

 The cause of this condition seems to be deficiency in 

 the supply of water to the fruit, which usually shows 

 no evidence of any disease due to parasitic Fungi 

 or insects. Shrivelling is quit* distinct from the fall of 

 the fruit known as " Windfalls." This latter results from 

 the presence in the fruit of insects, which eat the seeds 

 and cause premature and imperfect ripening, with early 

 separation from the plant. Such " Windfalls," on being 

 cut open, will show clear traces of the cause of injury 

 in the interior, round the seeds. The deficiency of water 

 to which Shrivelling is ascribed may result from various 

 causes: one of the most frequent is dryness of the 

 soil or of the atmosphere, which causes evaporation 

 from the green parts at a more rapid rate than that at 

 which the roots can supply the fluid. Another cause of 

 such deficiency is the luxuriant growth of leafy shoots 

 on plants in sheltered, warm situations : evaporation 

 goes on from them in excess of the power of the roots 

 to supply the full amount needed by leaves and fruits. 

 Poor soil and insufficient nourishment have been suggested 

 as causes. 



Remedies must be selected according to the cause, 

 which must first be carefully sought out. If the soil 

 is poor, manure should be supplied; if it is too dry, it 

 must be watered. Any excess in green shoots must be 

 pruned away. Hinging the fruiting branches i.e., the 

 removal of a narrow ring of bark from their bases has 



Shrivelling continued. 



been found very useful in diminishing the loss by 

 Shrivelling; it tends, besides, to improve the quality of 

 the fruit, and hastens the period of ripening. It acts 

 by preventing the passage downwards, through the bark, 

 of the food formed in the leaves of the branch, so that all 

 the food is retained for the nourishment of the products 

 of the branch itself. This method is applicable only to 

 Dicotyledons with a distinct bark; but these include 

 all the fruit-bearing plants of the colder temperate regions. 

 Some plants bear the operation well; but, in general, 

 it should only be performed as a last resort, as the 

 branches are apt to die above the ring, or to snap off at it, 

 and the parts below the ring do not get enough nourish- 

 ment, owing to the obstacle interposed by it to the 

 descent of the elaborated sap. The roots, too, suffer if 

 many branches are ringed, and the whole plant is thus 

 weakened and may die from the effects. There is also 

 danger of parasitic Fungi or insects obtaining entrance 

 into the tissues before the wound produced by ringing 

 the branch has been properly healed. 



SHRUB. A low, woody- stemmed perennial. 



SHRUBBERIES AND SHRUBS. The term 

 Shrubbery is usually applied to a plantation of Shrubs, 

 although many other plants not strictly of a shrubby 

 nature may be intermixed. Shrubs are divided into two 

 great classes, deciduous and evergreen; both are very 

 largely represented in gardens, but, unfortunately, with 

 some few exceptions, they do not generally receive the 

 attention which they deserve. In the embellishment 

 of flower-gardens and pleasure-grounds, Shrubs play a most 

 important part ; indeed, take these away, and more than 

 half the beauty is gone. Some are best planted in large 

 clumps by themselves Rhododendrons, for instance 

 although such clumps may be associated with others where 

 any kind of grouping is attempted, or an American garden 

 laid out. 



A point of great importance which, it is to be feared, 

 is too often overlooked, is that Shrubs which have 

 annually to perfect their wood for flowering be they 

 deciduous or evergreen should not be planted under 

 the shade of trees : they need an open situation, and 

 plenty of light, if proper development is to be attained. 

 There are some evergreen subjects that do well under 

 trees, but they are extremely few compared with 

 those which fail to thrive under such conditions. Forest- 

 trees should not be admitted permanently into a Shrub- 

 bery : if planted there when young, it should be with a 

 view to subsequent removal. Trees may, however, be 

 utilised to form a background if they are sufficiently far 

 away to prevent their roots from robbing the soil. Mixed 

 Shrubberies are generally arranged and planted with a 

 view to producing an effect throughout the summer ; but by 

 making a suitable selection, and arranging with judgment, 

 they may be rendered attractive, either in flower or foliage, 

 throughout the whole year. As a boundary or screen 

 dividing cultivated from wild grounds, or as a background 

 for a mixed border in flower-gardens, evergreen Shrubs 

 are unsurpassed. American Shrubs, when they can be 

 obtained in quantity, are best planted in beds by them- 

 selves, or plants of very dwarf stature may appropriately 

 form an edging for others which do not exceed some 

 3ft. or 4ft. in height. 



An endless variety of subjects, both evergreen and 

 deciduous, may be accommodated in a mixed Shrub- 

 bery of only moderate extent, but the planting should 

 only be entrusted to persons having a knowledge of 

 the different habits and dimensions which are likely 

 to be attained. For instance, the front line should be 

 restricted to plants that habitually remain compact, 

 and do not grow tall, .while the back part may be filled 

 with such specimens as are of the opposite description. 

 The centre space will then accommodate others of medium 

 stature, and the eye will gradually pass from front to back, 



