Encyclopaedia of Gardening 103 



>g's Tooth Violet. See Bulbs. 

 Dogwood. See Cornus. 



Doronicum, Leopard's Bane (doron-icum, from doronigi, the 

 Arabic name. Ord. Compositae). See Flower Garden Herbaceous 

 plants. . 



Dove Orchid. See Peristeria elata. 



Draba, Whitlow Grass (dra-ba, from drabe, acrid. Ord. Cruci- 

 ferae). See Flower Garden Rockery. 



Dracaena (dracae-na, from drakaino, a female dragon. Ord. 

 Liliaceae). Handsome foliage plants, some nearly hardy, others 

 requiring a hothouse. With care some 

 kinds can be kept healthy in living-rooms, 

 the principal requirements being proper 

 watering (see Watering), a weekly spong- 

 ing with tepid water, ventilation without 

 draughts, and a light position. Repotting 

 should be done in spring when necessary, 

 but 6-in. pots are generally large enough, 

 and in preference to shifting on the balls 

 can be reduced, and the plants put in the 

 same size of pot, with some fresh soil well 

 rammed down around the ball. Loam, 

 with a third of decayed manure, and sand, PR pf E G c A E T s IN G F 

 suit. When the plants get leggy they can 

 be shortened like Crotons, which see. Pro- 

 pagation is effected by cutting up pieces of 

 stem in spring, each with a joint, and laying them in moist soil or 

 cocoa-nut fibre refuse in bottom heat. As we have seen under 

 Cordyline, these two genera are related, and several plants which, 

 strictly speaking, are Cordylines are grown as Dracaenas. The 

 following are some of the best: 



Australis, A. lentiginosa, A. lentiginosa Russelli, Baptisti, 

 Chelsoni, fragrans Lindeni, Goldieana, indivisa terminalis. 



Dracocephalum, Dragon's Head (dracoceph-alum, from drakon, 

 dragon, and kephale, a head. Ord. Labiatae). Pretty summer- 

 flowering hardy herbaceous plants. For culture, see Flower Garden 

 Herbaceous plants. Ruyschianum, with purplish-lilac flowers 

 in early summer, growing about 2 ft. high, is one of the best. 

 Grandiflorum, blue, 6 ins. high, is suitable for the rockery. 



Drainage. This subject may be considered under two heads 

 horticulturally, the drainage of garden ground and the drainage of 

 flower-pots. Drain-pipes should not be laid until the necessity has 

 been proved, as the process is laborious and expensive; moreover, 

 it is possible to make ground too dry. A simple test is to dig holes 

 30 ins. deep in winter, cover them to exclude rain, and see if water 

 rises into them and stands after a spell of wet weather. If water 

 lodges in the upper strata of soil the latter is likely to become sour, 

 stiff, and unsuitable for crops. Before laying drain-pipes look out 

 for a spot where there is a fall, and let the main drain lead to it. If 



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