190 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



RIB 



and west to Wisconsin, and also of northern 

 Europe. From this species most of our garden 

 varieties have originated. The natural fruit is 

 small, and has less flavor than the cultivated 

 sorts. The English have made great improve- 

 ments in the Gooseberry. Their favorite sorts 

 are not adapted to this climate, however, owing 

 to their tendency to mildew. An exception to 

 this, however, is found inPaterson, N. J., where 

 some English mechanics grow it in great perfec- 

 tion. P. hirlelhim is a smooth-fruited species 

 common in moist grounds from New England 

 to Illinois. Under cultivation this species, has 

 been greatly improved, and its varieties are now 

 generally grown in our gardens. There are sev- 

 eral species with rough or prickly fruit, common 

 throughout the Northern States; they are, how- 

 ever, of little value for their fruit. 



Bib Grass. See Plantago lanceolate. 



Rice. See Oryza sath-a. 



Richardia. Calla, Egyptian Lily, Lily of the 

 Nile. Named after L. C. Richard, an eminent 

 French botanist. Linn. Heplandria-Monogynia. 

 Nat. Ord. Aradacece. 



Calla, the popular name of this genus, was 

 given to it by Pliny. There are but three spe- 

 cies, all natives of Africa. The Calla, or Kich- 

 ardia ^Ethiopica, is a native of the Cape of Good 

 Hope, and was introduced into England in 1731. 

 It is a well-known plant of easy culture; the 

 only particular attention it requires is constant 

 watering, and as warm a room as can conven- 

 iently be given it. The Calla is largely grown 

 for winter flowers, and is of the easiest culture. 

 Although it will grow and flower during the en- 

 tire season without resting if sufficiently fed by 

 being re-potted, yet it is more profitable to dry 

 it partially off, say from June 1st to October 1st. 

 This is best done by placing the pots on their 

 sides, so as to prevent the rains from wetting 

 the soil, and covering them slightly with bay or 

 moss, so as to keep the sun from drying the 

 roots too much ; or, if a position of partial shade 

 can be had, there will be no need of covering 

 the pots. The roots thus rested will flower 

 more abundantly and produce fewer leaves, and 

 thus twice the number of flowers may be obtain- 

 ed from the same space. It is not well to give 

 the Calla too much pot room, else too much foli- 

 age is produced. We have found the best 

 method to be not to use too large pots, and to 

 use liquid manure freely. When an excess of 

 leaves occurs, cut them off freely, withholding 

 water somewhat for a week or so after cutting 

 the leaves off. By this method the plants can 

 be grown closely together, and a larger crop of 

 flowers obtained from the same space. The 

 Calla is one of the best of winter-flowering 

 plants for room culture, needing little care be- 

 yond abundant water, and an occasional syring- 

 ing or washing of the leaves, to keep them free 

 from dust. The summer treatment and re-pot- 

 ting will be the same as recommended above. 

 It is also a good plant for a large aquarium. R. 

 afoo-macuUita, a species with beautifully varie- 

 gated or spotted foliage, makes a shcwy plant. 

 The flowers are smaller than the Calla, and 

 white, with purple throat. It comes into flower 

 in June, making it valuable for a succession. It 

 is also desirable in a collection of plants with 

 variegated foliage. The species are all propa- 

 gated by offsets, which should be taken off when 

 the plant is at rest, and grown on in small pots 

 for one season. 



Ricinus. Castor Oil Plant. From rlcimts, a tick 



ROB 



resemblance in the seeds. Linn. Monoscia-Mo- 

 nandria. Nat. Ord. Bnphorblacece. 



An extensive genus of tall-growing, half-hardy 

 annuals, natives of Africa and the East Indies. 

 The best known species is R. communis, the seeds 

 of which yield Castor Oil. The plant is a native 

 of India, but is now extensively cultivated in 

 the warmer regions of the globe. It is largely 

 grown in Southern Illinois and Missouri, much 

 in the same manner as Indian Corn. The prod- 

 uce of seed per acre is about twenty bushels. It 

 is estimated that those States alone produce an- 

 nually half a million gallons of oil. There are 

 a number of varieties grown in the garden, dif- 

 fering but little in general appearance, but vary- 

 ing in color and size. It is a grand plant for the 

 center of a sub-tropical bed, the outer circles to 

 be of Cannas in variety. The plants are easily 

 grown from seeds, which should be started in 

 small pots in the green-house about the first of 

 March, and turned out as soon as all danger 

 from frost is past. The pomace is used as a 

 manure. Introduced in 1548. 

 Rigidella. From rigidus, stiff ; in allusion to the 

 stiffness of the flower stalk when supporting the 

 seed-vessels. Linn. Triandria-Monogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. Iridacece. 



A small but very beautiful genus of plants, 

 natives of Mexico. R. flammea is one of the most 

 interesting species. It grows from three to five 

 feet high, with very broad and curiously plicate 

 leaves, which look as though they had been reg- 

 ularly plaited artificially. The flowers are nu- 

 merous, of a bright flame color, all issuing from 

 one spathe, and opening only one at a time. 

 The plant is of easy culture, requiring in all 

 respects the same treatment as the Tigridia. 

 Introduced into Britain in 1838. 

 Ripogonum. From ripos, flexible, and gonos, a 

 snoot. Linn. Hexandria-Motwgynia. Nat. Ord. 

 SmUacece. 



Ornamental green-house evergreen climbers 

 from New Holland. The flowers are white, dis- 

 posed in axillary clusters, not unlike Smilax. 

 Propagated by cuttings. Introduced in 1820. 

 Rivea. Named after A. de la Rive, a Genevan 

 botanist. Linn. Penlandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 ConvolvulacecK. 



Very beautiful green-house evergreen twiners, 

 allied to Ipomoea, natives of the East Indies. 

 The ease with which the many annuals of this 

 Natural Order are grown, causes the more tender 

 kinds to be neglected, or lost sight of altogether. 

 Rivina. Named after A. Q. Rivinus, a botanist of 

 Saxony. Linn. Tetrandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 PhytolaccacecK. 



Green-house evergreen shrubs, natives of 

 South America and the West Indies. R. humUis 

 is commonly grown in green-houses for its beau- 

 tiful racemes of little bright scarlet berries. It 

 is called in the West Indies Rouge Plant, the 

 juice of the berries being used as a cosmetic. 

 R. rivularis is a stronger-growing plant than the 

 above, but in other respects is much the same. 

 Propagated by seeds or from cuttings. Intro- 

 duced in 1804. 



Robinia. Locust Tree, Honey Bean. Named 

 in honor of Jmn Robin, a French botanist, once 

 herbalist to Henry IV. of France. Linn. Diadel- 

 phia-Decandria. Nat. Ord. Fabac&x. 



It. pseud-acacia, False Acacia, is the common 

 Yellow Locust, indigenous to the Middle and 

 Southern States. It is extensively grown in 

 many parts of the country for the valuable tim- 

 ber it furnishes, as being the most durable of 



