292 Encyclopedia of Gardening 



in the summer. The common Meadow Sweet is Ulmaria ; there are 

 variegated-leaved and double forms of it. Astilboides, although 

 Hiardy, is much used as a pot plant, and thrives in bulb soil; flori- 

 bunda and Lemoinei are forms of it. The Spiraeas differ somewhat 

 in their manner of flowering. Arguta and Thunbergi bloom on the 

 previous season's wood, and the pruning should consist in removing 

 the old wood after flowering, leaving the young unshortened to 

 bloom the following year. Japonica and Douglasi bloom well on 

 the same year's wood. These may be thinned and cut back in 

 spring, like non-climbing Roses. Propagation of the shrubs is by 

 cuttings of the young wood in a frame, or division if a number of 

 suckers are thrown up from the roots. 



Spleenwort. See Asplenium. 



:Spore. See Ferns. 



Sport. A natural break from the recognised character of a plant. 



Spot. A fungoid disease of Apples, Carnations, and other plants. 

 .See Fruit, Kitchen Garden, Carnations, etc. 



Spraying. See Fruit. 



Sprekelia. See Amaryllis under Bulbs. 



Spruce. The name is an abbreviation of Spruce Fir. The 

 Spruces are Conifers belonging to the genus Picea. The " White 

 Spruce " of the foresters is Picea alba, the " Black Spruce " P. nigra, 

 and the common or Norway Spruce, P. excel sa. The first is a 

 valuable tree in Canada, Newfoundland, and North America gener- 

 .ally; but it is short-lived in Great Britain, and is not much planted 

 as an ornamental tree nowadays, although it is sometimes used in 

 plantations where cheap Conifers are wanted. The Black Spruce 

 is also a North American tree. As the wood is soft it is much in 

 demand for making paper pulp, now an important industry of 

 Newfoundland. Spruce gum is an exudation from this tree, and 

 Spruce beer is obtained by boiling the young branches of the Black 

 and Red Spruces. The essence is boiled with other ingredients, 

 mixed with molasses, allowed to ferment, and bottled. It is a good 

 tree for moist, alluvial soils in Great Britain, but useless for dry 

 ones. The common Spruce of British foresters is P. excelsa. It is a 

 European tree, arid has been grown in Great Britain for several 

 hundreds of years. The wood is light and easily worked, but 

 -durable, hence it is an important timber tree. Young specimens 

 are much in demand for Christmas trees. It is largely grown in 

 Germany. See also Picea. 



Spurge, Caper, Euphorbia Lathyris. 

 Spurge Flax, Daphne Mezereum. 

 Spurge Laurel, Daphne Laureola. 

 Spurgewort, Euphorbia. 

 Spurring. See Pruning. 

 Squash. See Gourd. 

 -Squill. See Scilla and Bulbs. 



