Encyclopaedia of Gardening 291 



is a useful medium size. They should be kept scraped when in use, 

 and cleaned and oiled before being put away. 



Spanish Bluebell, Scilla hispanica. 

 Spanish Iris. See Iris. 



Sparaxis (sparax-is, from sparasso, to tear, in reference to the cut 

 spathes. Ord. Irideae). See Bulbs. 



Sparmannia africana (sparmann-ia, after A. Sparmann. Ord. 

 Tilieae). A handsome greenhouse shrub, growing from 6 to 20 ft. 

 high, with white flowers showing a prominent brush of stamens in 

 spring (see the Botanical Magazine, t. 516). It thrives in loam with 

 a fourth of peat and some sand. Propagation is by cuttings in 

 spring under a bell-glass in a warm house. It is very easily grown. 



Spawn. See Kitchen Garden Mushrooms. 



Specularia, Venus' s Looking-glass (specula-ria, from Speculum 

 Veneris. Ord. Campanulaceae) . The only species grown much is 

 Speculum, a purple hardy annual growing about a foot high and 

 flowering in summer (syn. Campanula Speculum Botanical Maga- 

 zine, t. 102). See Annuals. 



Speedwell. See Veronica. 



Sphagnum. A moss much used by Orchid growers, principally 

 owing to its sponge-like power of absorbing water; it grows in 

 swampy places. It may be bought from florists and seedsmen. 



Spider Orchis. See Ophrys. 

 Spiderwort. See Tradescantia. 



Spigelia, Worm Grass (spige-lia, after A. Spigelius. Ord. Logani- 

 aceae). A fairly large genus, only one species of which, marilan- 

 dica, is much grown. This is a hardy perennial with reddish-yellow 

 flowers in summer, growing about a foot high. It is a good rockery 

 plant, thriving in peat and loam, with sand, and propagated by 

 seed or cuttings. See the Botanical Magazine, t. 80. 



Spinach, Spinacia oleracea (spina-cia, from spina, a prickle, in 

 allusion to the seed. Ord. Chenopodiaceae). See Kitchen Garden. 



Spindle Tree. See Euonymus. 



Spiraea, Meadow Sweet (spirae-a, from speira, wreathed, in 

 reference to its former use in garlands. Ord. Rosaceae). A useful 

 genus of shrubs giving material for greenhouses as well as for shrub- 

 beries. Astilbe japonica is generally grown under the name of 

 Spiraea japonica, and is sold in the form of dormant roots by bulb 

 dealers in autumn (see Bulbs). The Spiraea japonica of botanists 

 is a different plant; it is a hardy evergreen, with rose flowers, and 

 is synonymous with the Spiraea callosa of Thunberg; Anthony 

 Waterer and Bumalda are varieties of it (see the Botanical Magazine, 

 t. 5164). Of the hardy deciduous species for the shrubbery, Aitchi- 

 soni, arguta, Aruncus, Douglasi, Filipendula flore pleno, Lindleyana, 

 palmata, and Thunbergi are particularly good. They thrive in 

 nost deep, fertile, fairly moist soils, and give long wreaths of bloom 



