508 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Stoma continued. 



they are more numerous on the tipper surface. Where 

 the sides of a leaf are equally exposed to light, e.g., in 

 vertical leaves, or phyllodes, the Stomata are disposed 

 in equal numbers on both surfaces. In floating leaves 

 (Nymphcea), they occur only on the upper surface, exposed 

 to the atmosphere. The number varies in different plants 

 from a few hundreds to over 300,000, on a square inch 

 of surface of a leaf, but from 20,000 to 150,000 seem to 

 occur most frequently on that space. 



Besides the ordinary Stomata for the passage of air, 

 and of water in the form of vapour, many plants possess 

 others of much larger size, placed singly or in groups 

 along the edges of the leaves, above the ends of the veins. 

 They resemble the other Stomata in form, but their 

 guard-cells cannot move, i.e., cannot alter the width of 

 the slit between them. Their use is to permit the escape 

 of water in drops, instead of in vapour. A familiar 

 example of this action may be observed in Richardia 

 africana, from the tip of whose leaves drops of water 

 often fall. Tt is also exhibited in the drops of water 

 that are so frequently seen on the tips of the leaves 

 of young Wheat, and of other Cereals, in damp evenings, 

 when evaporation is slow. The water thus exuded often 

 has Carbonate of Lime in solution, and, as the drops 

 evaporate, this is deposited, in such plants, in a white 

 crust around the waterpores, as such Stomata are called. 



STOMATIFEROUS. Stomata-bearing. 



STONE. A hard body produced by the ossification 

 of the endocarp or lining of certain fruits, which are 

 commonly known as Stone Fruits; e.g., Apricot, Peach, 

 Plum. 



STONECROP. A common name for Sedum (which 

 sec). 



STONE ORPINE. A common name for Sednni 

 reflexum (which see). 



STONE FINE. A common name for Finns Finea 

 (which see). 



STONNORD. An old name for Stonecrop. See 

 Sedum. 



STOOL. A stemless "mother" plant, from which 

 layers are annually propagated, by bending into the soil. 



STORAX. See Styraz. 



STORAX, LIQUID. See Liquidambar imberbe. 



STORING. A term applied to the lifting of certain 

 vegetables, principally root crops, in autumn, and placing 

 them in sand or dry soil, under cover, where a portion 

 can be procured for use at any time during the winter. 

 Beetroots, Carrots, Potatoes, Salsafy, Scorzonera, &c., are 

 well-known examples. The term is also applicable to the 

 preservation of fruits and, indeed, almost anything 

 which has to be housed and kept after maturity for 

 future use. 



STORK'S BILL. A common name for Pelargonium 



(which see). 



STOVE. A plant-house devoted to the cultivation 

 of subjects requiring a high temperature, many of which 

 are amongst the most beautiful, either for their flowers or 

 for their fine foliage. Where large specimens are grown, 

 it becomes necessary to provide accommodation on an ex- 

 tensive scale ; but, in the majority of gardens, a single 

 Stove, "or a house with a division in the centre, suffices. 

 In a large collection, even of Stove plants, many will need 

 a higher temperature than others : one division of a house 

 may generally be kept hotter than the other, and so the 

 proper requirements are met. When only one house is 

 available, much may be done by keeping such plants as 

 require most heat at the warmest end, and by admitting 

 whatever air is required at the cooler end. 



The best form of structure suited for a Stove is that 



Stove continued. 



known as the span-roofed; the hip-roofed also answers 

 well, but the wall on one side excludes a portion 

 of the light that would be secured in the span. For the 

 successful culture of Stove plants, particularly flowering 

 kinds, the admission of all possible light is one of the 

 most important conditions. When subjected to plenty of 

 light, foliage plants also assume a more beautiful colour- 

 ing, and have a shorter-jointed growth, than when 

 situated unfavourably regarding this provision for their 

 well-being. A plunging-bed should be provided, and 

 heated either by hot-water pipes with cocoanut fibre 

 above, or by tan ; the latter is not always procurable, 

 and is sometimes objected to. In large span-roofed 

 Stoves, of from 15ft. to 18ft. in width, it is generally 

 best to have the plunging-bed in the centre, a path 

 down either side, and a stage next the side all round. 

 This stage should not be of open woodwork if there 

 are hot-water pipes beneath, but made of slate, or con- 

 structed of wood, so that some ashes or shells may be 

 placed beneath the pots for retaining moisture. 



Ventilation should be arranged so that air cannot, on 

 entering, come in direct contact with the plants ; for pre- 

 venting this, it is best to place side ventilators in the walls 

 near the pipes, and to only use others situated near the 

 top when there is comparatively little difference between 

 internal and external temperatures. Most Stove plants 

 require a light shading from the summer's sun ; this is best 

 fixed on rollers, so that it may be let down and drawn 

 up at any time, according to the weather. Generally, 

 plenty of water and a moist atmosphere are necessary 

 in the Stove; the plants must, therefore, be well and 

 carefully drained, and the soil used be of an open descrip- 

 tion, whether loam or peat, in order that water may 

 readily pass through. 



In the arrangement of Stove plants, overcrowding should 

 be avoided, as growth is rapid with many of them, and 

 the plants soon become drawn or one-sided. Cleanliness 

 amongst plants, and also pots, is of great importance : 

 a high Stove temperature favours the multiplication of 

 insects, particularly if a moist atmosphere is not always 

 maintained. 



STRAMINEOUS. Straw-coloured. 



STRAMONIUM. Included under Datura (which 



see). 



STRANGEA. Included under Grevillea (which 

 see). 



STRANVJESIA (named after the Hon. W. Fox 

 Strangways, F.B.S., a learned investigator of the Flora 

 of Europe). OKD. Rosacece. A monotypic genus. The 

 species is an ornamental, nearly hardy, evergreen, 

 branched tree. It succeeds best when planted against 

 a south wall, and slightly protected during severe 

 weather. Propagation may be effected either by graft- 

 ing, or by budding upon the common Thorn. 



S. glauccscens (grey-leaved), fl. white, at length flocco.se; 

 calyx persistent, the tube campanulate, the limb of five erect 

 lobes; petals five, sessile, spreading, pilose at base; corymbs 

 axillary and terminal, many-flowered. June. fr. orange- 

 coloured, small. I. alternate, petiolate, simple, coriaceous, 

 ovate-lanceolate, serrulated ; stipules bristly, h. 20ft. Tem- 

 perate Himalaya and Khasia Mountains. (B. R. 1956.) 



STRATA (plural of Stratum, meaning anything spread 

 out, or strewn over a given surface). A term used to 

 denote the layers in sand or in rocks, such as may be 

 seen in a sand-pit, a slate-quarry, or a chalk-pit. One 

 sees the layers in cuttings as thinner or thicker bands, 

 one above the other ; and that they are spread out one 

 above the other can be recognised if each layer is care- 

 fully removed from the surface of the one below it. By 

 far the greater number of different kinds of rocks show 

 layers, but some, such as granite and trap, do not. The 

 layers, or Strata, aro now believed by all geologists to 



