Encyclopaedia of Gardening 287 



Skimmia ^skim-mia, from the Japanese Skimmi. Ord. Rutaceae). 

 Hardy evergreen shrubs, of which the principal species is japonica 

 (see the Botanical Magazine, t. 4719); it produces white flowers in 

 spring, followed by berries if both the male and female forms are 

 planted, and grows 3 to 4 ft. high; there are several varieties, in- 

 cluding the fragrant gratissima. Fortunei, with greenish-white 

 flowers; and Laureola, yellow, Citron-scented, are also grown. 

 Peat and loam suit. Propagation is by seeds, sown when ripe, and 

 by cuttings in a warm house under a hand-light. 



Slipperwort. See Calceolaria. 

 Sloe, Prunus spinosa. 



Slugs. Gardeners have not yet satisfied themselves of the useful 

 part played by the slug in the economy of Nature. Knowing it as 

 a voracious feeder on young plants they have classed it as an enemy 

 that must be rigorously repressed. But the slug takes a good deal 

 of subduing. Nocturnal in habits, clever at finding hiding-places 

 and covering up its tracks, it often ends triumphant. Slugs are 

 more abundant on damp than on dry sites. They love moisture. 

 But moisture in one form lime-water takes them at a disadvan- 

 tage, and if any gardener who is much harassed by slugs would 

 make a practice of putting a lump of fresh lime as big as a cocoa-nut 

 in a pail of water, straining off the liquid a few hours afterwards, 

 and watering with it at night, 2 or 3 evenings in succession, 

 he would soon reduce them; or he could slack a little fresh lime, 

 take the powder, and dust it about at night. A good method of 

 trapping slugs is to put down small heaps of fresh brewers' grains 

 near the plants in the evening, and examine them after dark. 

 Growers of alpines should look under over- ________ 



hanging plants on their rockeries periodi- 

 cally, as slugs are apt to establish them- 

 selves in cool, moist, shady crevices, and 

 make raids on choice plants. If plants in 

 greenhouses or frames are found nibbled, a 

 few of the pots in the neighbourhood 

 should be lifted and examined. Slugs 

 often choose the drainage hole of a flower- 

 pot as a hiding-place. 



Smilax (smi-lax, from smile, a scraper, 

 in allusion to the prickly stems. Ord. 

 Liliaceae). The " Smilax" of gardens is 



How TO TRAIN SMILAX. 



i. Box. 2. Strings. 

 3,4. Bamboo rods. 



Asparagus medeoloides (see Asparagus), the Smilax genus of botan- 

 ists are climbing shrubs. The common Smilax is generally trained 

 up strings, and is planted out in a border or grown in boxes. 



Smoke Wood, Clematis Vitalba. 



Snails. See Slugs. 



Snake Millipede. See Millipede. 



Snake Plant, Rhus Cotinus. 



Snake's Head, Fritillaria Meleagris and Iris tuberosa. 



