HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



19 



AER 



A small genus of handsome Orchids from 

 Mexico and New Grenada. They are of graceful 

 habit, easy of culture, and the flowers last long 

 in perfection. They are increased by division, 

 and should be grown rapidly to produce large 

 bulbs, as small ones do not flower. 



Arrow-head. See SoffMnrin. 



Arrow-root. A kind of starch obtained from va- 

 rious plants. Bermuda Arrow-root is obtained 

 fromMarantaarundinacm; the Brazilian, or Tapi- 

 oca, from Manihot utilissimu , the Chinese from 

 Ndutntnum speciosum ; the East Indian from dif- 

 ferent species of Curcuma; the English from the 

 Potato (Solanum tuberosum); American from In- 

 dian Corn. There are several other kinds, but 

 the name is chiefly associated with that from 

 Miirnn.tn arundinriceci, which see. 



Arrow- wood. See Viburnum. 



Artanthe. Derivation of name not given. Linn. 

 Diandria-Triandrist. Nat. Ord. Piperacea'. 



A small genus belonging to the Pepper family. 

 They are woody plants, with jointed stems, 

 rough leaves, and spikes of flowers opposite the 

 leaves. A. elonyata furnishes one of the arti- 

 cles known by the Peruvians as Matico, and 

 which is used by them for the same piirpose as 

 Cubebs, the produce of a nearly-allied plant ; 

 but its chief value is the power it has of staunch- 

 ing blood. The under-surface of the leai is 

 rough, traversed by a network of rejecting 

 veins, and covered with hairs; hence its effect 

 in stopping hemorrhage is prcbably mechani- 

 cal, like that of lint, cobweb, and other commonly 

 used appliances. The species are not esteemed 

 valuable as flowering plants. 



Artemisia. Wormwood. From Artemis, one of 

 the names of Diana. Linn. Si/n<jenesia-^E(jualis. 

 Nat. Ord. AsteracecK. 



This genus contains, among other plants, two 

 well-known shrubs, the Southern-wood, or Old 

 Man, Artemisia abrotanum, and the Wormwood, 

 A. absinthium. They are both very hardy, and the 

 Southern-wood is valuable for bearing want of 

 air and smoke without injury. Few persons, 



of transparent 

 taining the fragrant oil that gives out the scent, 

 and it is by breaking them, that rubbing the 

 leaves between the fingers makes them smell 

 stronger. The Chinese Chrysanthemums are 

 frequently miscalled Artemisias. 



Artichoke. Cynaria scolymus and Cynaria horten- 

 sis are the Green and Globe Artichokes of the 

 garden. They are hardy perennials, growing 

 from three to four feet high, with numerous 

 branches. The leaves measure from three to 

 four feet in length, pinnatifid, or cut in deep, 

 horizontal, convex segments, which are covered 

 with an ash-colored down, the whole plant re- 

 sembling a large Thistle. The portion eaten is 

 the under dde of the head, before the flower 

 opens. The whole head is removed and boiled, 

 the leaves laid aside, and the bottom eaten, 

 dipped in butter, with a little pepper and salt. 

 The Artichoke is a supposed native of the South 

 of Europe. The first account of its cultivation 

 was in Italy, in 1473, and from that period, 

 when it was said to be very scarce, it has stead- 

 ily grown in favor, and its cultivation extended . 

 The Artichoke thrives best in a light, very rich, 

 moist soil. One containing a largo proportion 

 of saline properties suits it best. Propagated by 

 seeds or by suckers from established plants. 



; The Jerusalem Ariirltuke is in no sense a true Ar- 



ARU 



t 1 ' choke, but the tuberous root of a species of 

 Sunflower, Helianihus tuberomix, a native of Bra- 

 zil, from whence it was sent to England* about 

 the year 1620. The date of its introduction into 

 this country is unknown. It must have been at 

 an early period, as it has become 8O perfectly 

 naturalized in many places as to become trou- 

 blesome. Its cultivation is now strongly recom- 

 mended on dry soils, liable to excessive droughts. 

 It is said that 1,500 bushels per acre can be pro- 

 duced, upon which swine will thrive finely, the 

 tubers furnishing sufficient water to allay thirst. 

 They also furnish excellent food for sheep. 

 Some agriculturists claim that the tops, cut and 

 properly cured, form an excellent hay, with a 

 yield of five or six tons to the acre. 



Artillery Plant. See Pilea. 



Artocarpus. Bread Fruit. From artos, bread, 

 and carpos, fruit ; the fruit baked resembles 

 bread. Linn. MonoeciarMonandria. Nat. Ord. 

 Artocarpaceae. 



This natural order presents strange anomalies: 

 the invaluable Bread-fruit Tree of the tropics, 

 the useful Cow-tree of Caraccas, and the viru- 

 lent poison of the Upas Tree of Java, side by 

 side. The Bread-fruit, originally found in the 

 southeastern parts of Asia and the islands of the 

 Pacific, though now introduced into the West 

 Indies and South America, is one of the most 

 interesting as wt.l as singular productions of 

 the vegetable kingdom. The Bread-fruit is a 

 beautiful as well as a useful tree. The trunk 

 rises to the height of about forty feet, and, in a 

 full-grown tree, is from twelve to fifteen inches 

 in diameter ; the branches come out in a hori- 

 zontal manner, the lower ones about ten feet 

 from the ground, and they become shorter and 

 shorter until they reach the top, giving the tree 

 an appearance of perfect symmetry. The leaves 

 are of a lively green, divided into seven or nine 

 lobes, from eighteen inches to two feet long. 

 The fruit is about nine inches long, heart- 

 shaped, of a greenish color, and marked with 

 hexagonal warts in clusters. The pulp is white, 

 partly farinaceous and partly fibrous ; but 

 when quite ripe it becomes yellow and juicy. 

 The Bread-fruit furnishes the chief sustenance 

 of the inhabitants of the Society and South Sea 

 Islands, and is used to a considerable extent in 

 the West Indies. It is usually cut into pieces, 

 and roasted or baked in ovens on the ground. 



Arum. From aron ; supposed to be an ancient 

 Egyptian word. Linn. Monoecia-Polyandria. Nat. 

 Ord. Aracecn. 



There are several interesting species contained 

 in this genus which may be accounted pretty 

 additions to the collections of the hot-house and 

 green-house, though the flowers possess a dis- 

 agreeable odor. In contrast with the other spe- 

 cies is A. Pakstinum, that has flowers of deep 

 crimson, with a delicious fragrance not unlike 

 the Violet. In shape it resembles (Ma ^EUd- 

 opica ; in fact, when it was introduced, in 1876, 

 into the United States, it was under the name 

 of " Crimson Calla." They are easily cultivated 

 in loam, and should have a liberal supply of 

 water. Numerous offsets are usually produced, 

 by which the species are extended. A. ilr<n->n,- 

 1-iilns, the Dragon Arum, deserves a place in the 

 flower garden for its largo, very remarkable 

 flowers. This variety requires the same treat- 

 ment as the Gladiolus. The roots of all this 

 natural order, when green, contain a milky 

 fluid, which is exceedingly acrimonious, excit- 

 ing a painful sensation of burning heat in the 



