HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



205 



SCO 



"run up " to seed, which renders the roots unfit 

 for use. There are other species under cultiva- 

 tion in their native countries as articles of food, 

 and held in high esteem. 



Scorpiurus. Caterpillars. From scorpios, a scor- 

 pion, and oura, a tail; alluding to the twisted 

 form of the legumes. Linn. Diaddphia-Decan- 

 dria. Nat. Ord. Fabacece. 



A small genus of very curious half-hardy an- 

 nuals, natives of the Mediterranean regions. 

 The flowers are yellow, pea-shaped; the pods 

 have- a fancied resemblance to caterpillars, 

 whence their common name. The pods are 

 used to garnish dishes of salads or meats. They 

 may be cultivated in the same manner as Rad- 

 ishes. 



Scotch Pine. See Finns. 



Scotch Thistle. See Onopordon. 



Scotch Kale. See Brass'ica. 



Screw Pine. See Fandanus. 



Scrub Oak. See Quercus. 



Scurvy Grass. See Cochlearia. 



Scutellaria. Skull-cap. From scutella, a little 

 saucer; alluding to the form of the calyx. Linn. 

 Didynamia-Anfjiosperinia. Nat. Ord. Lamiacecv. 

 An extensive genus of herbaceous perennials, 

 many of which are indigenous to, and common 

 throughout the United States. A few of the 

 species are suitable for edgings to flower-beds. 

 The hardy kinds have their flowers for the most 

 part blue, and are quite showy. Among the 

 tender or green-house species, S. Mocciana is 

 bright scarlet and exceedingly handsome, though 

 often affected with rust. S. pulchella, another 

 green-house variety, is crimson. Propagated 

 by cuttings. 



Scuticaria. From scutica, a whip; leaves round 

 as a whipcord. Linn. Gynandria-Monogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. OrcMdacece. 



S. Steelii, one of the best known species of this 

 genus, is an epiphytal Orchid from Demerara, 

 with long, thong-like, pendulous leaves, and 

 large, solitary, dingy-yellow, purple-spotted 

 flowers, which grow on very short stalks. There 

 are a few other species of the same general char- 

 acter, but which are rarely cultivated. 



Scyphanthus. From scyphos, a cup, and anthos, 

 a flower; in reference to the shape of the flower. 

 Linn Polyadelphia-Folyandria. Nat. Ord. Loasa- 

 cea;. 



A small genus of Chilian and Peruvian plants, 

 allied to Laosa, and formerly included in that 

 genus. S. degans is a very pretty twining an- 

 nual, with bright yellow flowers, produced 

 singly from the axils of the leaves. This is a 

 synonym of Grammatocarpus, under which name 

 it is pretty generally known. 



Seaforthia. Named after Francis Lord Seaforth, 

 a patron of botany. Linn. Folygamia-Moncecia. 

 Nat. Ord. Palmacea;. 



#. elegans, the only known species, is a native 

 of Australia, and one of the most beautiful of 

 the Palm family. The plant attains a height of 

 thirty feet, with leaves from two to ten feet in 

 length. "The whole plant is perfectly smooth, 

 leaves drooping and feather-like, and is one 

 of the finest subjects in cultivation for the con- 

 servatory, green-house, or sub-tropical garden. 

 It may be placed in the open air from the first 

 of June until the first of October." It can be 

 kept in the conservatory or ordinary green- 

 house during winter. It is of rapid growth. 

 Plants one year from seed, when well grown, 

 attain a height of three feet. Propagated by 

 seeds only. Introduced in 1822. 



SEC 



Sea Bean. See Entada. 



Sea Bean. See Onnosia. 



Sea Daffodil. See Pancratium. 



Sea Eryngo. See Erynyium. 



Sea Heath. See Franlcenia. 



Sea Holly. See Erynrtium. 



Sea Island Cotton. See Gossypium. 



Sea-Kale. Crambe maritima. (See Crambe.) Sea-Kale 

 is only cultivated as yet in the United States by 

 private gentlemen employing gardeners, and is 

 very rarely seen in our markets. Still, there is no 

 reason why it may not be cultivated here equally 

 as well as in Europe, as it grows quite as freely 

 during our aummer months here as there; and 

 being perfectly hardy, it can be got into condi- 

 tion to blanch which is the only way in which 

 it is used the first season, if the following plain 

 directions are strictly followed: Prepare the 

 ground exactly as if for a Cabbage or Cauliflower 

 crop ; for it is a plant of the same family, and 

 requires very similar treatment. As early as 

 the ground is dry enough to Avork in spring, 

 after having well leveled and raked the soil, 

 strike out lines three feet apart, and of any 

 length required, and at these lines draw shal- 

 low drills, two or three inches deep. In these 

 drills sow the Sea-Kale seed about as thick as 

 Turnip seed; say one ounce to every hundred 

 and fifty feet of drill. After sowing, and before 

 covering, tread the seed in the drill with the 

 foot, and then cover and level with the rake. 

 After the plants are up, and show the rough 

 leaf, thin put to eight or nine inches apart, and 

 keep cultivating, so as to encourage the best 

 growth possible during the summer. The plants 

 will have completed their growth by November, 

 when the leaves will begin to wither and dry 

 off", as Rhubarb or Asparagus does. When the 

 leaves have become completely dried, it is well 

 to cover with two or three inches of leaves, to 

 prevent them being frozen hard. About the 

 first of December, or first of January, the blanch- 

 ing or forcing process may be begun. To do 

 this, horse manure and leaves must be got to- 

 gether in quantities sufficient to heat, and 

 enough to cover the Sea-Kale to be forced, to a 

 depth of three or four feet ; but, preparatory to 

 placing this hot-bed over them, boxes one foot 

 wide and one and a half to two feet high should 

 be placed along the rows of the Sea-Kale, so that 

 the manure is kept off them. Into these boxes 

 the tender white shoots of the Sea-Kale will be 

 forced up and protected from the manure ; or, if 

 the expense of boxes is not advisable, strong 

 bush stakes, such as are used for staking Pease, 

 may be used; in fact, anything that is strong 

 enough to prevent the hot-bed pressing against 

 and impeding the growth of the plants. The 

 hot-bed of three or four feet high, placed over 

 the Sea-Kale beds in December or January, will 

 produce the Sea-Kale in the proper blanched 

 condition in from ten to twelve weeks. If not 

 wanted early, it may be blanched by covering 

 with boxes, inverted flower-pots, leaves, or any- 

 thing that will exclude the light, placed over 

 the plants in spring at the time they start to 



row. The young shoots, when cooked, have a 

 avor something between Asparagus and Cauli- 

 flower, but in England they are much preferred 

 to either. 



Sea Lavender. See Statice. 

 Sea Onion. See rnUho/ialum. 

 Sea-Side Grape. See Cuccoloba. 

 Sechium. Choko. From sekiio, to fatten; the 

 fruit serves to fatten hogs in the mountains and 



