AN ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



525 



SUCCULENT PLANTS. Amongst these are in- 

 cluded numerous genera of plants which are extremely 

 varied in habit, but mostly all have leaves of a soft, 

 succulent nature. , Very few are hardy subjects compared 

 with those which need glass protection : still, a large 

 number require but little artificial warmth. The natural 

 order Cactece includes a large proportion of Succulent 

 Plants, many being exceedingly curious, and others very 

 beautiful. The following are representative genera 

 amongst Succulents : Agave, Aloe, Cereus, Cotyledon, 

 Crassula, Echinocactus, Epiphyllum, Gasteria, Haworthia, 

 Mammillaria, Mesembryanthemum, Opuntia, Phyllocactus, 

 Sedum, Sempervivum. For carpet-bedding purposes, 

 some of the dwarf Succulents are invaluable as, for 

 example, Sedums, &c. 



SUCCUTA. A synonym of Cuscuta. 



SUCKER. A shoot of underground origin. 



SUCKERING IRON. A garden tool used for re- 

 moving suckers from fruit-trees, &c. It consists of a 

 narrow, steeled blade, to which a shank and socket are 

 attached, wherein to insert a handle somewhat like that 

 of a spade. The entire length is about the same as that 

 of the latter implement, but the blade is usually only 

 Gin. long by Sin. broad, at the cutting edge. The handle 

 is much shorter, and the shank and socket, combined, 

 longer. 



SUCKERS, PROPAGATION BY. See Propa- 

 gation. 



SUFFRUTESCENT. Slightly shrubby. 

 SUFFRUTICOSE. Low and shrubby at base. 

 SUGAR BERRY. The fruit of Celtis occidentalis. 

 SUGAR BUSH. A common name for Frotea nielli- 

 fera (which see). 



SUGAR CANE. The popular name for Saccliarum 

 officinarum (which see). 



SUGAR PEA. A name given to edible-podded 

 Peas. See Pea. 



SUGAR FINE. See Finns Lambertiana. 



SUKANA. A synonym of Celosia. 



SULCATE. Furrowed or grooved. 



SULPHUR. An element constantly present in 

 protoplasm, though only in a very small amount. It is 

 believed to be essential to living beings, and is supposed 

 to be taken by plants from the soil, in Sulphate of Cal- 

 cium, absorbed in solution by the roots. The sulphate 

 is probably broken up on contact with the oxalates that 

 are formed during growth, and the Sulphur is built up 

 into organic compounds of the protoplasm group. The 

 use of Sulphur to plants is, however, uncertain. 



Sulphur as a Remedy. Sulphur is a very useful remedy 

 against the attacks of the Mildew Fungi (see Mildew 

 and Oidium) that live on the surface of the green 

 parts of plants. It is used in the form of "Flowers 

 of Sulphur," dusted upon both surfaces of the leaves, 

 and of young shoots, by means of a Sulphurator 

 (which see). The operation should be performed while 

 the plants are still wet with dew. In this way, Sulphur 

 is applied to Roses, Hops, Vines, &c., usually twice or 

 thrice in a season; but it must be done at such periods 

 as will permit of the Sulphur being all washed off any 

 part that is afterwards to be made use of in food 

 (e.g., Grapes or Hop catkins), before they are gathered. 

 The Sulphur destroys the mycelium of such external 

 Fungi. . Weak solutions of Potassium Sulphide have been 

 found to act equally as well as the powder, and are 

 now coming into general use. Dusting with Flowers of 

 Sulphur is a remedy also sometimes employed against 

 larvae of Sawflies, and of Moths; and both the powder 

 and solutions of Potassium Sulphide are used to destroy 



Sulphur continued. 



Green Fly and Bed Spider. For the latter, the modes 

 of treatment recommended are to syringe the plants, and 

 then to scrub as vigorously as may be p rmitted, or to 

 dip the shoots into the solution, which is prepared by 

 carefully mixing 4oz. of Sulphide of Calcium with 2oz. 

 of soft soap, and then adding hot water up to one gallon 

 in all. This solution should be made use of twice or 

 thrice, and will be found a most useful application; or 

 fluids containing Sulphur, e.g., Gishurst Compound and 

 Veitch's Chelsea Blight Composition, may be employed 

 with success. 



SULFHURATOR. An apparatus or appliance for 

 distributing Flowers of Sulphur over plants attacked by 

 Mildew, &o. It consists of a small bellows with a small 

 tin box above the tube, having holes in the bottom. The 

 sulphur is placed in this box, and as it shakes through 

 into the tube it is expelled, wherever desired, by the 

 action of the bellows. 



SULPHURIC ACID, or OIL OF VITRIOL. 



In horticulture, this substance is of little use ; for, 

 though weak solutions (one part in fifty of water) have 

 been used for syringing plants to destroy insect 

 pests, it can be employed with safety only for hardy 

 subjects ; and there are various solutions preferable 

 for use in this way. Sulphuric Acid is largely used 

 in the preparation of soluble phosphates for manure. 

 The sulphates, or compounds of Sulphuric Acid, are of 

 considerable value. Solutions of Sulphate of Copper 

 (Blue Vitriol) and of Sulphate of Soda are employed as 

 washes for seeds of Oats, Barley, and other Cereals, to 

 cleanse them from spores of the Smut Fungus ( Ustilago 

 segetum), and also against Bunt (Tilletia caries) in Wheat 

 and in Barley. In like manner, Sulphate of Copper 

 solution (one ounce to a gallon of water) is a valuable 

 insecticide when syringed on plants. 



Sulphates are often used as manures. Sulphate of 

 Ammonia, prepared from gas-liquor, by the addition of 

 Sulphuric Acid to it, or to the Ammonia that is removed 

 from the liquor when steam is forced through it, has 

 been found to add largely to crops when given as 

 manure. It supplies Nitrogen in a form readily taken 

 up by plants; but the amount should not exceed Icwt. 

 per acre. In the South of England, Sulphate of Lime, 

 or Gypsum, is frequently used, in quantities of from 

 2cwt. to lOcwt. per acre, for Beans, Peas, and other 

 leguminous plants, for which it is especially valuable, 

 and with which it gives excellent results. In Germany, 

 it is used for pastures, and also, to a less amount, for 

 other produce. It is mostly burned and reduced to 

 powder before being applied. 



SUMACH. See Rhns. 



SUMACH, MYRTLE-LEAVED. A common name 

 for Coriaria myrtifolia. 



SUMMER BEDDING. Most people are acquainted 

 with this term, which applies to the planting of flower 

 beds annually for a display through the summer and 

 early autumn. It is usually carried out at the latter 

 part of May and through June, the seasons varying a 

 little according to locality. In Summer Bedding, Pelar- 

 goniums play the most conspicuous part ; Alter nanth eras, 

 Calceolarias, Coleus, Heliotropes, Iresines, Lobelias, 

 Pyrethrum (Golden Feather), Verbenas, &c., are also 

 largely employed. See also Bedding-out. 



SUMMER SNOWFLAKE. See Leucoium ses- 

 tivnm. 



SUN-BURNING. A term applied to injuries of 

 various parts of plants, attributed, with more or less 

 reason, to exposure to the rays of the sun in confined 

 spaces, or where the heat is concentrated through glass 

 or water, or by reflection from walls or other objects. 

 Probably, both heat-rays and light-rays are concerned in 



