SOL 



SOL 



dug out a spade deep, casting the earth over the 

 sets about three or four hiches thick ; or the 

 alleys may be first dug out to raise the beds, and 

 the sets then planted with a dibble in the com- 

 mon method : thus bv either of these methods, 

 in wet ground, the alleys being sunk, and the 

 beds raised, the alleys drain off the redundant 

 moisture, which might rot the sets before they 

 begin to sprout. 



This method of planting is sometimes per- 

 formed on grass sward, marking out beds as 

 above, with alleys between of proportionable 

 width ; then, without digging the beds, the po- 

 tatoe sets are placed immediately upon the sward, 

 at proper distances; the alleys being then dug and 

 the spits turned grass-side downward upon the 

 beds over the sets, covering them the proper 

 depth as above, in which, if any additional depth 

 ' is wanted, it may be supplied from the under 

 earth of the alleys ; and thus the sets being be- 

 tween two swards, grow, and often are pro- 

 ductive of very good crops if permitted to have 

 full growth. 



In the after-management where weeds begin 

 to overrun the ground, two or three hoeings 

 should be given to kill thcin and loosen the sur- 

 face of the soil; and where the plants have 

 some growth, some hoe up a ridge of earth close 

 to each side of every row of plants in the first 

 or second hoeing, to strengthen their growth 

 more effectually, and render them more prolific, 

 as the bottom of the stalks so landed up gene- 

 rally emitting roots in the earth that become 

 productive of potatoes the same as the principal 

 roots. 



In October, when the potatoes are full grown, 

 they should be wholly taken up before they are 

 attacked by frost, and deposited in some dry 

 apartment for keeping : some may however be 

 taken up before for occasional use : this business 

 is usually performed by a three-pronged fork. 



Wheii it is intended to raise new varieties from 

 seed, some of the first-flowering plants should 

 be marked, the seed should be gathered in au- 

 tumn when full ripe, and in the March or April 

 following sown in some light soil, in an open 

 situation, in shallow drills, a foot asunder; and 

 when the plants come up, they should be kept 

 clear from weeds till autumn, when, about the 

 end of October or beginning of November, the 

 roots may be taken up, selecting the finest and 

 largest, which preserve in sand till spring ; then 

 plant them in the common way, and by autumn 

 following they will have made proper increase, 

 and attain full perfection; when their properties 

 niust hv determined. 



SOLDANELLA, a genus containing a plant 

 of the low bt.rbae.cous perennial kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Pentandria 

 ]\lo>iog7/!iia, and ranks In the natural order of 

 Precice. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a five- 

 parted perianth, straight, permanent ; segments 

 lanceolate: the corolla one-petalled, bell-shaped, 

 widening gradually, straiglii : mouth torn into 

 many clefts, acute : the stamina have five awl- 

 shaped filaments, anthers simple, sagittate : the 

 pistillum is a roundish germ: style filiform, 

 length of the corolla, permanent: stigma simple: 

 the periearpium is an oblong capsule, round, 

 obliquely striated, one-celled, opening by a 

 many-toothed top : the seeds numerous, acumi- 

 nate, very small : the receptacle columnar, free. 



The species is S. alpina, Alpine Soldanella. 



It has a perennial fibrous root: the leaves al- 

 most kidney-shaped, about three quarters of an 

 inch over each way, of a dark green colour, on 

 long footstalks : among these arises a naked 

 flowerstalk or scape, about four inches long, 

 sustaining at the top two small open bell-shaped 

 flowers, with the brim cut into many fine seg- 

 ments like a fringe : the most frequent colour is 

 blue, but it is sometimes snow-while. It flow- 

 ers in April, and the seeds ripen in July. It is a 

 native of the Alps. 



There is a variety which has all the parts 

 smaller ; the petiole is shorter and more slender, 

 and the leaves are not so much rounded, but 

 gradually widen from the petiole. 



Culture. — This is increased by jiarting the 

 roots in the autumn about September, planting 

 them in pots or in a cool shady situation, where 

 the soil is of a moist loamy kind, being fre- 

 quently watered when the season is dry, and 

 kept from the sun. 



The seeds soon after they become ripe may also 

 be sown in pots or boxes filkd with the above 

 sort of mould, being placed in the shade, and 

 frequently watered. The plants rise in the 

 spring, and in the autumn following should be 

 removed into separate pots, to have the protec- 

 tion of a frame in winter. They succeed best 

 in a northern aspect. 



These plants ati'ord variety among other pot- 

 ted |)lants. 



SOLDIER-WOOD. See Mimosa, 



SOLIDAGO, a genus containing plants of 

 the tall, herbaceous, flowering, perennial kind. 



It belongs to the clas.s and order Sijngencsia 

 Poli/gam'ni Superjiiui, and ranks in the natural 

 order of Compnsitce Discoidc(e. 



The characters are ; that the calvx is oblonc, 

 imbricate, common : scales oblong, narrow, 

 acuminate, straight, converging : the corolla 

 is compound radiate : corollets hermaphrodite 

 tubular, very many, in the disk : — female ligu- 



