1698 



SPHAGNUM 



SPINACH 



or unless one has conditions very similar to its native 

 habitat, it. is difficult to keep it living for any length of 

 time. This does not greatly matter, except that Sphag- 

 num used for surfacing pots should always be living 

 for the sake of appearance. That which is used in pot- 

 ting and propagating need not necessarily be living as 

 long as it is fresh and not decayed, while partially de- 

 cayed moss may be used for muiching and packing. 

 Edward J. Canning. 

 8PHEN6GYNE. See Ursinia. 



SPICE BUSH. Consult Benzoin. 



SPIDER FLOWER. Cleome. 



SPIDER LILIES. HymenocallU and Pancratium. 



SPIDER PLANT. See Cleome. 



SPIDERWORT. Tradescantia. 



SPIGELIA (after Adrian von der Spigel, physician, 

 1558-1025). Logani&cece. About 35 species of American 

 annual or perennial herbs, rarely somewhat woody, with 

 opposite, membranous, feather - veined, rarely 3-5- 

 nerved leaves, and long or small red, yellow or purplish 

 flowers, usually borne in terminal, one-sided, somewhat 

 curved spikes: calyx 5-lobed; segments narrow; corolla 

 tubular ; lobes 5, valvate ; stamens 5, attached to the 

 corolla-tube: ovary 2-loculed : style articulated, simple, 

 obtuse or somewhat capitate and stigmatose at the sum- 

 mit: capsule flattened, circumscissile above the persis- 

 tent base. 



Marilandica, Linn. Pink Root. A handsome hardy 

 perennial herb, with slender, tufted stems 1-2 ft. high, 

 opposite, ovate, sessile, thin lvs. 2^4 in. long, and red, 

 tubular Ms. with yellow throats in terminal, 1-sided 

 spikes. June, July. Woods, N. J. to Wis. and south. 

 B.B. 2:605. B.M. 80.-An elegant plant for the hardy 

 border. Shade is not necessary for its welfare if planted 

 in good, loose, deep loam. p*_ y^* Barclay. 



^Stf-**^' 



2362. Spinach (X%). 

 SPIKENARD. Aralia racemosa. FALSE S. Smila- 



SPILANTHES (Greek, spotted flower). Compdsitce, 

 This genus includes the Pari! Cress (Spildntkes oler- 

 acea, Linn.)) the leaves of which impart a pungent flavor 

 to salads and stimulate the salivary glands. The plant 

 belongs rather to pharmacy than to the vegetable garden. 

 It is procurable from France. It is an annual herb of 

 almost creeping habit and yellow fls. in conical, rayless 

 heads about three-eighths of an inch in diameter. The 

 seed is sown in early spring. The Brazil Cress differs 

 in the brownish tint of stem and leaves. The preced- 

 ing points are condensed from Vilmorin's "Vegetable 

 Garden." 



Spilanthes is a genus of about 20 species found in the 

 warmer regions of the globe. They are mostly annual, 

 rarely perennial, and have opposite, usually dentate lvs. 

 Some have yellow or white rays and the disk is yellow. 

 S. oleracea has broadly ovate, dentate lvs. and long- 

 peduncled heads. Gn. 22, p. 295. ^x. M. 



SPINACH (Spinacia oleracea, which see) is an an- 

 nual crop grown as a pot-herb, or for "greens." Fig. 

 2362. It is a cool-season plant, and therefore it is grown 

 in fall and spring. It is a plant of easy culture, thriving 

 in any good garden or field soil, although for quick re- 

 sults and for tender, succulent foliage, land which has 

 an abundance of available plant-food, and particularly 

 of nitrogen, is most desirable. The plant is hardy, and 

 when the land is well drained, it will ordinarily stand 

 the winter climate as farnorth as the city of New York, 

 and still farther in somewhat protected places. 



Spinach is grown both as a fall and spring crop. The 

 fall crop is raised from seed that is sown in August; in 

 eight weeks the leaves may be large enough for eating. 

 The spring crop is grown from seeds sown in the fall, 

 or from those sown during winter in hotbeds or cold- 

 frames, or from those sown directly in the ground as 

 soon as it is fit in the spring. If the plants for spring 

 use are to be started in the fall, the seeds should be 

 sown about six to eight weeks before hard freezing 

 weather is expected. Then the plants will have attained 

 sufficient size and roothold to enable them to pass the 

 winter. It is advisable to cover the plants, just before 

 winter sets in, with straw or loose litter or dry manure. 

 Even though the plants will withstand the winter, they 

 nevertheless thrive better if given this protection, par- 

 ticularly in soils that are likely to heave. It is custom- 

 ary to grow this fall-sown Spinach on wide ridges or 

 beds that are made by plowing several furrows together, 

 leaving a dead furrow between them. This allows of 

 surface drainage. These beds may be from five to ten 

 feet wide. On these beds, the seeds are sown in rows 

 running lengthwise, the distance between the rows being 

 from 10 to 20 inches, depending upon the methods that 

 are employed for tillage. If hand tillage alone is to be 

 given, the plants may be placed closer. In the spring 

 the cover is removed from the plants at the earliest op- 

 portunity, for Spinach is most desired very early in the 

 season. Unless the land is in extra good "heart," it is 

 well to make a surface application of a soluble fer- 

 tilizer early in the spring in order to start the plants 

 into growth. A fertilizer that is very rich in nitrogen 

 gives best results; in fact, it is customary in some 

 places to use a solution of nitrate of soda or sulfate of 

 ammonia, applying the material with a sprinkling cart. 

 From 50 to 75 pounds of the fertilizer may be used to 

 the acre with very good results, at each of two or more 

 applications. 



For home use, Spinach is sometimes carried over the 

 winter in frames, the plants having been transplanted 

 to the frames or raised in them during the late fall. 

 These frames are protected from severe freezing weathe 

 by mats or shutters. Whenever it is desired to bring 

 the plants into growth, sash is placed over the frame, 

 and extra protection is given in very cold weather. The 

 plants will soon become green and begin to make new 

 leaves. Different frames may be covered at different 

 times as the season advances, thereby providing a 

 supply for home use. Sometimes the seed is sown in 

 hotbeds that are made late in winter or very early in 

 spring, and the plants are secured in advance of the 

 ordinary season. The growing of Spinach in frames is 

 less frequent than formerly, owing to the fact that the 

 market is now supplied with the product grown in the 

 Middle South. 



Spring Spinach may be grown from seeds that are 

 sown as soon as the land can be worked in spring. If 

 the land has been plowed and manured in the fall, 

 quicker results may be secured. Two or three sowings 

 may be made in the home garden for spring use, but 

 after the middle of June Spinach is likely to become 

 tough and is in little demand. If Spinach is wanted 

 during the summer, it is better to use the New Zealand 

 Spinach, which is a warm weather plant. This plant has 

 no relationship with the ordinary Spinach (see Tetra- 

 gonia). It is usually best to sow Spinach seed where 

 the plants are to stand, although it is sometimes trans- 

 planted into frames for home use. Care must be taken 

 that the plants do not become checked or stunted, else 

 they will tend to run to seed. If the seed is sown too 

 late in spring, when hot weather is approaching, the 

 root-leaves will be very few and the plant will quickly 

 throw up flower-stalks. Spinacli is always grown as a 



