720 



HELIANTHEMUM 



short-stalked: fls. large (2 in. across), yellow, with black 

 eye, on slender, hairy pedicels. Portugal. B.M. 2G4. 

 Gn. 2G:466; 53, p. 131. U.M. 34:246. -Perhaps the most 

 showy of the genus. Excellent for rockwork. The 

 branches are erect, reaching 3-4 ft. Not hardy North. 



umbeliatum, Mill. Diffuse, 1-2 ft. tall: Ivs. small, 

 linear or linear-lanceolate, revolute on margins, more or 

 less viscid: tls. umbellate or whorled, white. Eu. 



L. H. B. 



HELIANTHUS (Greek, helios, the sun, and aidkos, 

 aflower). Comi>ii.iitie. Sunflower. This genus includes 

 the common annual SuuHower, and about 15 hardy her- 

 baceous perennial plants, rather coarse in habit, with 

 yellow fls.. which are mostly large, numerous and borne 

 in autumn. Altogether there are about 80 species, 

 mostly N. American. Lvs. generally opposite below and 

 alternate above, but this is not a constant character: 

 heads pedunculate, solitary or corymbose, terminating 

 the stem or branches : disk-fls. perfect, yellow, brown 

 or purplish, with a tubular 5-limbed corolla; rays neu- 

 tral, yellow. The geuus is very variable, and there are 

 also many natural hybrids ; hence the species are diffi- 

 cult to delimit. The old notion that the flower- beads 

 follow the sun from east to west has recently been sub- 

 stantiated ior fl. aHniius. (See Botanical Gazette, vol. 

 29:197.) Garden monographs are found in Gn. 27, p. G6; 

 45, p. 372; 49, p. 326 and 55, p. 146. 



Sunflowers are of the easiest culture, and are adapted 

 to a variety of soils. They are seen to best advantage 

 when planted in masses, rat herthan as solitary specimens, 

 and should be given plenty of room, being gross feeders. 



Most Sunflowers, especially JT. ohhkhs, are too coarse 

 to be harmonious near the house, but find an effective 

 setting in the background, against the shrubbery bor- 

 der. A few species, however, especially B. orgyaUs and 

 H. debilis, are worth growing for their foliage alone. 

 The annual species are prop, by seeds or cuttings; the 

 perennial chiefly by division. All varieties of B. niitlti- 

 flonis root readily from both soft and hardwood cut- 

 tings. The double forms rarely produce fertile seeds 

 and must be prop, by division. Tbe seeds of annuals 

 may be planted directly in the border, but it is best to 

 start them indoors in March. Perennial kinds, particu- 

 larly forms of B. mnUiflonis, should be taken up in 

 late fall or early spring, every two years, and the root- 

 stocks divided and replanted; otherwise the roots will 

 ramble away, and the flowers will deteriorate. All 

 thrive in a light, dry soil; but B. antimts and B. giqan- 

 teus may be used to advantage for drying malarial 

 spots. Sunflowers do not thrive in very shady places. 

 S. W. Fletcher. 



Sunflowers (B. annuns) are cultivated extensively 

 in Russia, India and Egypt; less widely in Turkey, Ger- 

 many, Italy and Prance. The seeds from the large- 

 seeded variety are sold upon the streets in Russia as we 

 do peanuts, except that they are eaten raw. Tbe small- 

 seeded variety is preferred for the manufacture of oil. 

 When cold-pressed, a citron-yellow, sweet-tasting oil. 

 considered equal to olive or almond oil for table use. is 

 produced. The resulting oil-cake, when warm-pressed, 

 yields a less edible fluid, which is used for lighting, and 

 in such arts as woollen dressing, candle- and soap-mak- 

 ing. The oils dry slowly, become turbid at ordinary 

 temperatures and solid at 4° P. For stock and poultry 

 feeding, and for other purposes. Sunflower oil-cake is 

 about equal in value to that of flax- and cotton-seed. 

 The cake is largely exported by Russia to Denmark and 

 Sweden, and to some extent to other European markets. 

 Sunflower stems and heads make an excellent paper, and 

 the stems furnish a tine fiber that compares favorably 

 with silk. They are, however, generally used for fuel, 

 since the above industries have not been developed. 



Sunflowers grow readily in many soils, but best re- 

 sults are obtained upon light, rich, calcareous or allu- 

 vial land, well supplied with moisture and unshaded by 

 trees. White, clayey and poor soils are unfavorable 

 Preparation of the soil should be thorough ; deep fall 

 plowing followed by spring harrowing being preferred 

 to spring preparation. The seeds are generally sown in 

 drills running north and south, 30 in. apart, 9 in. asun- 

 der in the drill, and 1 in. deep. Sometimes they are 

 transnlanted from nursery beds when 4-6 in. tall. About 



HELIANTHUS 



a week after the plants appear they are thinned to 18 in 

 asunder. From 4 to 6 pounds of the seed will sow an 

 acre. Cultivation is the same as for corn, except that 

 when the plants reach a height of 3-4 ft., the inferior 



1026. Helianthua debilis. Nearly half size. 



flower heads should be removed, leaving only 4 or 5 on 

 the principal stem. In windy climates hilling is some- 

 times necessary to prevent blowing down. 



On some farms the roots are harvested as they ripen 

 and placed upon floors or movable pole racks to dry. 

 Upon larger areas they are cut to the ground when most 

 of the heads have ripened and piled, heads up, to cure. 

 The former method insures a much higher grade of oil, 

 and is therefore preferred. Every effort is made to pre- 

 vent fermentation, either in the heads or in the pile of 

 seeds, since this injures the quality of the oil. When 

 thoroughly dry the heads are either placed on racks or 

 piled, face downward, on a floor and beaten with flails. 

 The seeds are then spread thinly, shoveled over occa- 

 sionally, and allowed to become perfectly dry before be- 

 ing sent to the mill. The average yield is about 50 

 bushels to the acre. The percentage of husks ranges 

 from 40 to 60; and the oil from 15 to 28. As a general 

 rule, 100 bushels of seed will yield 33 bushels of ker- 

 nels, 100 bushels of kernels from 280 to 320 gallons of 

 oil of both qualities. 



Russian Sunflower, a large-seeded variety, producing 

 a single head, grows 8 ft. tall, out is less esteemed for 

 oil production than the small-seeded varieties. 



