290 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



climbing shrub, with lilac flowers in summer. See the Botanical 

 Magazine, t. 6914. 



Soldanella (soldanel-la, a diminutive of solidus, a piece of money, 

 referring to the form of the leaves. Ord. Primulaceae) . Pretty 

 alpines, well worth growing on the rockery. The leaves are heart- 

 shaped. The most popular species are alpina (syn. Clusii Botanical 

 Magazine, t. 2163) and pusilla, both of which grow about 3 ins. high 

 and have drooping blue flowers in April. Pyrolaefolia is a variety 

 of the former species ; hybrida is a hybrid between the two. They 

 like a compost of loam and peat, and should be top-dressed with 

 leaf mould and grit every autumn. Propagation is by seeds in a 

 frame in spring, and by division after flowering. They should have 

 a cool, moist place in the rock garden. It is well to put a square of 

 glass over alpina in autumn to throw off the winter rains. 



Solidago, Golden Rod (solida-go, from solidare, to unite, in allu- 

 sion to the healing virtues. Ord. Compositae). See Golden Rod. 



Solomon's Seal. See Polygonatum and Bulbs. 



Soot. A useful fertiliser for most crops, yielding ammonia. If 

 applied to garden or lawn in a quantity sufficient to well blacken 

 the soil or grass when rain threatens it does good, but it should not 

 be dusted over young plants when fresh from the chimney, or it 

 may injure them. If soot is put in a bag or piece of sacking and 

 hung in a tub of water, a good liquid manure is formed. 



Sophora (soph-ora, from the Arabic sophero. Ord. Leguminosae) . 

 The most popular member of this genus is japonica, the Pagoda 

 Tree of China and Japan, which is hardy, grows 20 to 30 ft. high, 

 and bears white flowers in summer. Pendula and variegata are 

 drooping and variegated varieties respectively. It likes a friable 

 loam. The species are raised from seed, and the varieties are 

 grafted on to it. 



Sophronitis (sophroni-tis, from sophrona, modest. Ord. Orchid- 

 aceae). A small genus of Orchids, the most important of which is 

 grandiflora, which produces bright scarlet flowers in winter; there 

 are several varieties of it. It may be grown in a shallow pan, in 

 peat and Sphagnum with a few pieces of charcoal, over crocks; or 

 on a block. Propagation is by division. Although less water will 

 be needed in winter than in summer, the plants must not be dried 

 off. The genera Sophronitis and Cattleya have been crossed, 

 giving the bigeneric Sophro-cattleyas. Sophronitis has also been 

 crossed with Laelia, giving the bigeneric Sophro-Laelia. Further, 

 Sophronitis grandiflora has been crossed with a Laelio-cattleya, 

 giving trigeneric hybrids, or Sophro-Laelio-cattleyas. For parti- 

 culars, see a modern book on Orchids. 



Sorbus. See Pyrus. 



Sorrel. See Kitchen Garden Herbs. 



Sowbread. See Cyclamen. 



Spade. These tools are made in various sizes, but they should 

 alwaj's be of steel, and mounted on strong Ash D handles. No. 3 



