RHIPSALIS 



RHODE ISLAND 



1515 



11. 8quamuldsa,Schnm.(iyeptswiitw commune ,Ptei&,). 

 Somewhat branched, reaching a length of 2 ft. : branches 

 very unequal in length, >3-l in. thick, triangular, the 

 angles winged: fls. 1-2, from the deep areolffi, 5 lines 

 long, greenish without, j-ellowish within. Brazil, Ar- 

 gentina. B.M. 3763. 



12. myosilrus, Schnm. (Lepismlum myoshms, Pfeiff.). 

 Somewhat branched, a yard long: branches 3-C lines 

 thick, 3-4-angled, the angles not winged, the terminal 

 branchlets generally acuminate, often tipped by a pencil 

 of bristles: lis. solitary in the deep areolse, 4-5 lines 

 long, rosy white: fr. red. Brazil, B.M. 3755. 



13. rh6mbea, Pfeiff. (R. Swart zicina (?), Pfeiff.). 

 Branching, reaching a yard in length; joints green, leaf- 

 like, crenate - oblong or rhombic, 1-5 in. long, %-2 in. 

 broad: fls. yellow, about 5 lines long. Brazil. 



14. pachyptera, Pfeiff. (B. aldta, Steud.). Erect, 

 branching, reaching a height of nearly 1 yard; joints 

 flat, rarely 3-winged, rather thick, usually somewhat 

 concavo-convex, 3-8 in. long, blunt, 2-5 in. broad, often 

 purple-red: fls. about 8 lines long, yellow with reddish 

 tips. Brazil. BM. 2820 {Cactus alatus). 



15. Houlletid,na, Lem. (i?. EoulUtii, Lem.). Stem 

 richly branched, becoming 3 ft. or more long, 1-1>^ in. 

 broad, often tapering to the round midrib for a consider- 

 able distance, then becoming again broad and leaflike: 

 fls. 8-9 lines long, yellowish white to yellow: berry red. 

 Brazil. B.M. 6089. Katharine Brandegee. 



BHIZOPHOBA is discussed under Mangrove. The 

 plant is now ofl:ered for sale in S. Calif. 



BHODANTHE. See Helipterum. 



BHODEA. See Bohdea. 



BHODE ISLAND, HOBTICULTUBE IN. Figs, 2102, 

 2103. Rhode Island, the most thickly populated state in 

 the Union, is distinctly a manufacturing center. This 

 condition of things, which brings the larger portion of 

 the population together into the cities and villages, to- 

 gether with the steadily increasing popularity of its 

 famous summer resorts and the rapid transportation 

 both by rail and water which place the New York and 

 Boston markets within easy reach, affords opportunities 

 for horticultural developments which are equaled by 

 few and excelled by none of the eastern states. 



At present the growing of vegetables, both in the field 

 and under glass, is the most highly developed horticul- 

 tural industry. The towns of Cranston and Warwick 

 are the center of this industry, where the soils are light 

 sandy loams which are capable, under the skilful man- 

 agement they receive, of producing large crops of excel- 

 lent quality. 



The following figures, which are taken from the State 

 Census for 1895, give some idea as to the extent of the 

 market-garden industry for that year: Green corn, 

 1,138,983 doz.; tomatoes, 106,259 bushels; cucumbers, 

 €6,268 bushels; lettuce, 2,852,204 heads; beans, string, 

 40,706 bushels; peas, green, 53,458 bushels; celery, 

 579,016 heads; melons, 624,980. 



The greater proportion of the lettuce grown is of the 

 hard-headingtype, which is produced during the months 

 from October to May. Over$100,000 is invested in glass 

 for the production of this crop within a radius of five 

 miles of the city of Providence. The greater portion of 

 the muskmelon crop is produced upon the sandy plains 

 of Warwick. The early crop is grown from plants which 

 are either started in pots in the glass-houses and trans- 

 planted to the field or planted under sash in the field. 

 The early varieties used for the crop are of the small 

 Gem type, which always finds a ready sale at fancy 

 prices, while the main crop, which is planted the last of 

 May, is largely shipped in car-lots to Boston. For the 

 main crop the large oblong type of melon is the most 

 popular. Besides the large market-gai'deners who are 

 located near the cities, many of the farmers who live 

 within a short distance of the manufacturing villages 

 find there a ready and profitable market for the many 

 vegetables which they produce, as the people found in 

 these villages are good buyers who consume large quan- 

 tities of vegetables when they have work. 



During the past decade the fioriculture of the state 

 has been developing rapidly, not so much, however, in 

 the number of establishments as in the area of glass. 

 Where ten years ago the figures were given in hun- 

 dreds, to-day they are increased to thousands of square 

 feet. This development is especially noticeable in the 

 towns which have a population of from 2,000 to 3,000. 

 The carnation is still the most popular flower, although 

 many fine roses are grown, with a steadily increasing 

 demand for rare flowers, as orchids and forced stock, 

 during the winter months. 



There are in the state nine local nurseries. The 

 greater part of the business is the growing of specimen 

 plants for use in localities where immediate effects are 



Tv- 



Narragansett Pier 

 A TLA 2r T Z C 



O C S^ JV 



2102. County map of Rhode Island. 



desired, rather than the propagation and sale of young 

 nursery stock. 



The fruit-growing industry is but poorly developed, 

 only a very small proportion of the fruit consumed be- 

 ing produced within the state limits. Apples are grown 

 more than any other fruit, the largest orchards being 

 located in the northern part of the state, the fruit being 

 more highly colored than that grown in the orchards 

 along the coast. Baldwin, Rhode Island Greening, Rox- 

 bury Russet and Spy are planted more than other va- 

 rieties. Many of the old orchards are past their prime, 

 and there are excellent opportunities offered for the 

 planting of profitable orchards upon the hilly and de- 

 serted farms. Among the enemies of fruit, the follow- 

 ing are the most troublesome : apple scab, codlin-moth, 

 curculio and maggot. The original Rhode Island Green- 

 ing apple tree, still standing in the town of Foster, is 

 shown in Fig. 2103, as it looked in 1900. 



Peaches are receiving much attention at present. 

 From orchards which are favorably located, crops are 

 obtained two out of three years; the average for the 

 state is about three oiit of five. Aside from the winter- 

 killing of the buds, the most serious trouble is the rot- 

 ting of the fruit. This trouble causes much greater 

 losses in the towns bordering upon the salt water. 



