EXACUM 



EXHIBITIONS 



1189 



calyx 4-5-parted, the segms. keeled, winged or flat 

 and 3-nerved; corolla-lobes 4 or 5, ovate or oblong, 

 twisted; stamens 4 or 5, attached to the throat, with 

 very short filaments, the anthers opening by apical 

 pores that finally enlarge nearly to the base: fr. a glo- 

 bose 2-valved caps. Species about 30, in Trop. and 

 Subtrop. Asia, Malaysia, Trop. Afr., Socotra. 



Plants of E. affine flower in summer. If specimens 

 in 5-inch pots are desired, sow in March of the same 

 year; for larger specimens, sow in August of the pre- 

 ceding year. The plants must be kept in a cool but 

 not draughty greenhouse or frame in summer, and 

 shaded from fierce sunlight. They usually are given 

 warmhouse conditions. 



A. Lvs. with stalks often %in. long. 



affine, Balf. St. cylindrical, 1-2 ft. high, much 

 branched from the base: Ivs. 1-1 J^ in. long, elliptic- 

 ovate, faintly 3-5-nerved : sepals with a broad wing on 

 the back; corolla 6-9 lines wide; lobes almost rounded. 

 Socotra. B.M. 6824. A.F. 13:1104. Gng. 6:229. 

 R.H. 1883, p. 512. Gt. 32:1108. G.C. II. 21:605. 



AA. Lvs. nearly or quite stalkless. 

 B. Corolla-lobes rounded. 



zeylanicum, Roxbg. Annual: st. 4-sided, branched 

 only above: Ivs. becoming 3 in. long, strongly 3-nerved, 

 elliptic-oblong, acuminate, narrower than in E. affine, 

 and tapering: fls. blue, 13^ in. across, in terminal, leafy 

 corymbs; sepals broadly winged; corolla-lobes obovate, 

 obtuse. Ceylon. B.M. 4423 (sky-blue, with a dash of 

 purple). R.H. 1859, p. 238. J.F. 1:43. H.F. II. 2:60. 



BB. Corolla-lobes usually tapering to a point. 



macranthum, Arn. (E. zeylanicum var. macrdnthum). 

 Fig. 1468. St. cylindrical, slightly branched: Ivs. as in 

 E. zeylanicum, though perhaps more variable from 

 base to summit: fls. purplish blue, 2 in. across. In both 

 species there is a narrow ring of yellow at the mouth, 

 to which the conspicuous clusters of stamens are 

 attached. Ceylon. B.M. 4771 (deep purplish blue). 

 G.C. III. 15:331. R.H. 1911, p. 31. J.H. III. 42:182; 

 51:259. The best of the genus. The rich, dark blue 

 is worth striving for. 



F6rbesii, Balf. Bushy and shrubby: Ivs. triangular 

 or ovate-lanceolate, 1J^ in. across at base: fls. upwards 

 of H m - across, purple or violet-purple, in terminal 

 racemes, the anthers yellow and prominent. Socotra. 

 G.C. III. 31:93. G. 23:679. G.W. 6, p. 290. G.M. 

 45:81. A good plant for intermediate temperature, 

 blooming well in a 6-in. pot. WILHELM MILLER. 



L. H. B.f 



EXCCECARIA (from Latin excoecares, referring to its 

 effect on the eyes). Euphorbiacese. Tropical trees or 

 shrubs with poisonous milky juice rarely cultivated for 

 ornament. 



Glabrous: Ivs. alternate or opposite, usually entire 

 (or crenate to serrate): infl. usually in axillary spikes; 

 fls. dioecious or monoecious; calyx imbricate; sepals 2-3, 

 free or connate at base; petals none; stamens 2-3, 

 erect in bud; filaments free; ovary 3-celled, 3-ovuled: 

 seed not canaliculate. About 25 species in the Old 

 World tropics. Related to Stillingia and Sapium. 



bicolor, Hassk. (Crdton bicolor, Hort.), with the oppo- 

 site Ivs. red beneath is sometimes cult, for ornament in 

 European greenhouses or outdoors in the tropics. E. 

 Agalldcha, Linn., AGALLOCHA, BLINDING TREE, RIVER 

 POISON, etc., with alternate Ivs., is a well-known poison- 

 ous tree of the coasts of S. Asia. j. 3. S. NORTON. 



EXHIBITIONS of horticultural products have been 

 both a concomitant and a stimulant of progress in 

 American horticulture. The great international exposi- 

 tions ushered in by the Centennial Celebration of 1876 

 at Philadelphia, through the opportunities afforded 



for the comparison of products, have been the means 

 of unusual education in the indentification of varieties. 

 No amount of descriptive literature can compare 

 with this method of acquiring accuracy in naming and 

 describing fruits, flowers, and vegetables. 



The interest in these great exhibitions by the growers 

 of soil products indicates a peculiarity of this class of 

 producers. They are the ones to reap the smallest 

 direct result, and yet they have always been willing 

 to give freely of their productions to swell the volume 

 of these great fairs and emphasize the possibilties of 

 the localities in which they lived. They would even 

 pay their own expenses to attend these fairs and 

 explain to the world how they succeeded in growing 

 such attractive things. No producers of the useful 

 things of life will compare with the horticulturist in 

 willingness to impart to his fellow the secrets of his 



1468. Ezacum macranthum ( X '31. 



success. National, state, district and township exhibi- 

 tions have thus become great methods of disseminating 

 information of value to the horticulturist educators 

 of the people. 



For many years the most prominent feature of fruit 

 shows was the nomenclature of the exhibit. In vege- 

 tables it was the size of the specimen, in flowers the 

 number of sorts and their tasteful arrangement. 

 People flocked together to identify varieties, to see 

 the big things and to satisfy esthetic longing. Later 

 the art in exhibiting products was given more atten- 

 tion, and wonderful creations have resulted from com- 

 binations and artistic arrangement. 



Exhibitions have been the favorite opportunities 

 of bringing out new and valuable sorts and often the 

 usefulness of a variety dates from some particular 

 fair at which it was prominently displayed. Notable 

 instances of this were the grapefruit, which was shown 

 in quantity for the first time at the great New Orleans 

 exhibition; the Kieffer pear, which was a distinguishing 



