440 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Sisyriucliium continued. 



tin. long. Stem branched, 4in. to 12in high. Brazil to Chili 

 1822. Half-hardy. (L. B. C. 1379.) SVNS. S. laxum (B. M. 2312), 

 ifarica iridifolia (B. R. 646). 



5. iridioides (Iris-like). A synonym of S. Bermudiana. 



6. laxum (loose). A synonym of S. iridifolium. 



S. lutcscens (yellowish). A synonym of S. striatum. 

 S. mlcranthum (small-flowered), fl. three to ten, small, pedi- 

 collate ; perianth yellow, 'in. long; spathes terminal, the outer 

 one about lin., the inner iin., long. June. I. Imear-ensiforrn, 

 striated, glabrous ; radical ones lin. to 4m. long, one line broad ; 

 outline one bract-like, lin. long. Stem glabrous, one-leaved, 

 simple flexuous, 2in. to 9in. high. Mexico and Brazil, &c., 1815. 

 Half-hardy. (B. M. 2116.) 



S striatum (striated). * nine to twelve, spicate, alternate, ex- 

 oSSwFtlie ovate, cuspidate spathe ; perianth yellowish, the 

 tube two lines, the segments seven lines, long ; pedicels nearly 

 equalling the spathe. June. I. glabrous ; radical ones about 1ft. 

 long, distichous, equitant, sheathing ; cauline ones rather remote, 

 amplexicaul. Stem 1ft. to 2ft. high, simple or branched. Chili, 

 1788 Hardy. SYNS. S. luteseens (L. B. C. 1870), Sfanca stnata 

 (B. M. 701). 



S. tenuifolium (slender-leaved), ft., perianth yellow, the seg- 

 ments oblong, acute ; pedicels sparsely hairy, exceeding the 

 spathe; spathe two-leaved, terminal, one or many-flowered. 

 I. linear-ensiform, scabrous on the margins, acuminated, striated ; 

 radical ones 2 Jin. to 9in. long ; cauline ones 2in. to 4in. long. 

 Stem ascending, simple or branched, lim. to 12m. high. Mexico, 

 1816. Hardy. (B. M. 2117, 2313.) 

 SITOCODIUM. A synonym of Camassia. 

 SITODIUM. A synonym of Artocarpus. 

 SITOLOBIUM. Included under Dicksonia (which 

 see). 



SITONA. A genus of small beetles belonging to the 

 family of Weevils. It includes those popularly known as 

 Pea-and-Bean- Weevils, which receive this name because 

 of the harm they do to the Pea and Bean crops, especially 

 in field cultivation. But they also feed on many other 

 leguminous plants, e.g., Clover. In them the beak is 

 shorter than in most Weevils, and projects horizontally. 

 It is flat, except for a slight channel along its upper 

 surface. The antennae are elbowed. The body is oblong, 

 with the thorax a good deal narrower than the abdomen. 

 The beetles are about in. or a little more in length. 

 Their ground-colour is black ; but this is almost always 

 more or less concealed by a coat of ochreous, grey, or 

 rosy scales and hairs. These scales and hairs are apt 

 to be rubbed off, and to disappear after a time. The 

 most hurtful species are S. crinita, the Spotted Pea- 

 weevil, and S. lineata, the Striped Pea-weevil. The 

 former bears ten punctured stripes down the wing-cases, 

 these stripes being alternately dark and light ochreous. 

 The former species is a little smaller than 8. lineata, is 

 more grey or rosy than that insect, and has a few dark 

 spots on the wing-cases. Both have the limbs, for the 

 most part, dull-red. 



The beetles feed on Peas, Beans, and other leguminous 

 plants, gnawing the young leaves and leaflets from the 

 margins inwards, and, in this way, sometimes completely 

 destroy the crops, if the weather is cold and unfavour- 

 able to growth after the young plants have come through 

 the soil. Strong, healthy plants suffer least from them. 

 The life-history of these Weevils has been followed out, 

 within the past three or four years, by Messrs. Hart and 

 Christy. The larvaa feed on the roots of Clover, and, it 

 may be presumed, of other Leguminosce. They have been 

 observed of all sizes and ages in the autumn, and many 

 of them live through the winter as larvae, and reach 

 their full size in spring. When full-grown, they are 

 footless, wrinkled, white maggots. They become pupae in 

 oval, earthen cells, lin. to 2in. below the surface of the 

 soil ; and in two or three weeks they emerge as beetles. 

 It would thus seem that the larvaB are injurious; but 

 the beetles are far more so. They are apt to remain 

 undetected in their depredations, as, when in danger, they 

 drop at once from the plants to the soil and hide under 

 particles of earth, &c. ; but pressure, or stamping with 

 the feet, on the soil around the plants, makes the beetles 



Sitona continued. 



come out in swarms. They seem to pass the winter in 

 open ends of stubble, or in any other convenient retreat. 



Remedies. The best is probably to make up the seed- 

 bed so as to be favourable to rapid and healthy growth 

 of the young plants, thus rendering them able to survive 

 the attacks of the Weevils. For the same reason it is 

 well to water the plants in dry weather. It is recom- 

 mended also to lay wood-ashes or coal-ashes along the 

 drills above the rows of Peas or Beans, as this favours 

 growth. Rolling the ground brings the Weevils to the 

 surface, and kills many of them. Applications of lime or 

 soot to the wet leaves renders these distasteful to the 

 insects; but the most useful application yet tried is 

 paraffin, in a solution of about two ounces to one gallon 

 of water, with which the plants should be watered. 



SIUM (from Sion, the old Greek name, used by Dios- 

 corides). Water Parsnip. OBD. Umbelliferce. A small 

 genus (four species) of glabrous, hardy herbs, natives 

 of North temperate regions. South Africa, and St. Helena. 

 Flowers white, in compound umbels ; involucral bracts 

 numerous. Leaves pinnate; pinnae toothed. S. angusti- 

 folium and 8. latifolium are British plants. S. Sisarum 

 (Skirret) is removed, by Bentham and Hooker, to Pirn- 

 pinella. The species possess no horticultural value. 



SKIMMIA (from sTcimmi, a Japanese word, signify- 

 ing a hurtful fruit). OED. Rutacece. A genus comprising 

 about half-a dozen species of pretty, hardy, evergreen, 

 highly glabrous shrubs, with green branchlets, natives 

 of the Himalayas and Japan. Flowers whitish, clustered; 

 calyx short, four or five-lobed ; petals four or five, oblong, 

 much longer than the calyx, valvate or loosely imbri- 

 cated ; disk inconspicuous ; panicles terminal, branched. 

 Drupes ovoid, fleshy, two to four-stoned. Leaves alter- 

 nate, simple, petiolate, lanceolate, entire, coriaceous, 

 pellucid-dotted. The species thrive in a compost of peat 

 and loam. Propagation may be effected by cuttings, 

 inserted in sand, under a bell glass, in gentle heat ; and 

 by seeds, sown, when ripe, in sandy loam and peat. 



FIG. 491. TIP OF BRANCH, WITH INFLORESCENCE, OF 

 SKIMMIA FRAGRANS. 



>. fragrans (fragrant), ft. white, fragrant, disposed in terminal 

 panicles. I. elliptic-oblong, thick, h. about 3ft. See Fig. 491. 

 (B. H. 1880, p. 56, Fig. 11.) Of this garden plant only the female 

 is at present known. 



