HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



CAL 



flower. Linn. Polyandria-Polygynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Ranunculacece. 



C. palustris is an indigenous hardy herbaceous 

 perennial, common in swamps and marshy 

 places throughout the Northern States. The flow- 

 ers are bright yellow, borne in large clusters, in 

 April or May. The leaves are highly esteemed 

 as a pot herb. The plant is frequently called 

 Cowslip, a name that properly belongs to Prim- 

 ula veris. 



Calycanthus. Sweet-scented Shrub, Strawberry 

 Shrub, Carolina Allspice. From kalyx, a cup or 

 calyx, and anthos, a flower ; from the closed cup 

 which contains the pistils. Linn. Icosandria- 

 Polygynia. Nat. Ord. Calycanthacece. 



C.floridus is a native deciduous shrub, remark- 

 able for the scent of the flowers, (which is com- 

 monly thought to resemble that of ripe fruit, ) 

 as well as for their peculiar color. It is a native 

 of the Southern States, perfectly hardy, and 

 will grow in almost any Boil or situation. Prop- 

 agated by seeds or offsets. The bark of this 

 species is used in the adulteration of cinnamon. 

 There are other species and varieties, but this is 

 the more conspicuous and desirable. 



Calystegia. Bracted Bindweed. From kalyx, a 

 calyx, and steqa, a covering ; in reference to the 

 calyx being hid by two bracts, as is the case 

 with a section of Bindweeds. Linn. Pentandria- 

 Monofjynia. Nat. Ord. Convolvulacece. 



This somewhat extensive genus includes our 

 common hedge Convolvulus, but only a few 

 species are considered interesting. C.pubescens, 

 from China, a hardy double-flowered variety, is 

 useful as a screen, or for covering unsightly 

 places, the chief objection to it being its tend- 

 ency to get beyond control. Propagated by di- 

 vision of root in spring. 



Camarotis. From camara, an arched roof ; in 

 reference to the form of the lip or labellum. 

 Linn. &ynandria-Monandria. Nat. Ord. Orchid- 

 acece. 



A small genus of East Indian and Brazilian 

 Orchids, bearing pale rose flowers, with yellow 

 lip, produced on pendulous racemes in March 

 and April. They require a warm, moist house, 

 and need but little rest. They are increased by 

 division. Introduced in 1818. 



Camassia. Wild Hyacinth. From quamash, so 

 called by the Indians, who eat the bulbs. Linn. 

 Hexandriu-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. LUiacetK. 



Allied to the Scilla or Squill. C. escidenta re- 

 sembles the common blue Hyacinth, but is 

 larger, its leaves being about a foot long, very 

 narrow, and grooved down the inside. Its flow- 

 er stalks grow from one to two feet high, and 

 bear large, showy purple flowers. This plant 

 grows in moist grounds from the Mississippi 

 River to the Pacific Ocean, and its bulbs form a 

 staple food of the Indians, the different tribes 

 visiting the plains for the purpose of collecting 

 them, immediately after the plant has flowered. 

 The occasion is one of their feasts, in which the 

 women take an important part, as the labor of 

 digging devolves entirely upon them. The un- 

 married females endeavor to excel each other in 

 the quantity they collect, their fame as future 

 good wives depending upon their activity upon 

 the Quamash plains. The roots are cooked by 

 digging a hole in the ground and paving it with 

 large stones, upon which a firo is lighted and 

 kept up until they are red hot, when they are 

 covered with alternate layers of branches and 

 roots till the hole is full. It is then covered 

 with earth, and a fire kept burning upon it for 



CAM 



twenty-four hours, when the roots are taken ou.,, 

 dried, or pounded into cakes for future use. 

 Camellia. Named in honor of George Joseph 

 Kamel, or Camettus, a Moravian Jesuit and East- 

 ern traveler. Linn. MonadelphM-Polyandria. Nat. 

 Ord. TernstrcKmiacecK. 



This well-known genus is so closely allied to 

 the tea family as to be distinguished from it with 

 great difficulty, the great difference being in the 

 number of parts and position of the flower. The 

 number of true species of this splendid genus is 

 very limited, not exceeding six or seven, and 

 only one or two of them are thought worth 

 cultivation, except for botanical purposes. The 

 hundreds of beautiful varieties which grace our 

 collections, possessing at once the most rich and 

 vivid colors in their flowers, and the noblest 

 grandeur in the whole aspect of the plants, 

 fully compensate for this scarcity of species, and 

 leave us little to desire that may not reasonably 

 be expected from the same skill and persever- 

 ance which have already produced such splendid 

 results. G. Japonica may be regarded as the pa- 

 rent of the whole race of cultivated Camellias. 

 It is a native of China and Japan, where it attains 

 the altitude of a tree, and is much employed by 

 the natives of those countries in decorating their 

 gardens. Camellias delight in an even tempera- 

 ture, rapid fluctuation being injurious at any sea- 

 son, and the same regular and equable amount of 

 both light and moisture should prevail for the 

 whole year, that in effect the difference between 

 the summer and winter seasons may be lessened 

 as far as practicable. For this purpose the plant 

 should be kept in summer in a cool green-house, 

 moderately shaded from the sun. When the plants 

 are in a growing state they require abundance of 

 water, both at the roots and over the leaves. 

 After making their growth, and setting their 

 flower-buds, they require less attention than at 

 any other period. Moderate supplies of water 

 and a situation as cool as can be afforded with- 

 out danger of frost or nipping currents of air 

 are best. About the middle of March is the 

 commencement of the ordinary growing season, 

 when a higher temperature and plenty of water 

 to the roots should be given them. Potting 

 should be done when the greatest benefit will 

 be conferred on the prospective shoots, which 

 will be before the roots have made much pro- 

 gress, or as soon after blooming as may be. A 

 distinction in the quality of soil to be used 

 should be made in accordance with the state of 

 each plant, bearing in mind that they grow much 

 stronger in loam, but do not usually produce 

 flowers so freely, and vice versa for healthy speci- 

 mens; and under ordinary circumstances an ad- 

 dition of leaf mould seems most advisable, in- 

 troducing a small proportion of sand, and usin^ 

 the soil quite rough. At this time it should b3 

 determined at what period the plants will be re- 

 quired to bloom in the ensuing season, whether 

 early or late, to accord with which the plants 

 may either be forced or retarded. They will 

 bear almost any amount of heat while growing, 

 but after the formation of the flower-buds it 

 must be withheld, as the slightest application 

 then, instead of hastening their development, 

 will infallibly cause them to fall off. Hence, the 

 only way to " force " Camellias into early flower- 

 ing in fall and winter is to keep them at a high 

 temperature while growing in spring. A tem- 

 perature of about 65 is the most proper for such 

 as are desired to flower in the following winter; 

 45 or 50 degrees will be sufficient for the next, 



