HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



SPI 



beautiful hardy border plant, about two feet in 

 height, with branching spikes of pure white, 

 feather-like flowers. This species is most ex- 

 tensively forced for winter flowers, and is one 

 of the plants most used for decoration at the 

 Easter Holidays. Although it can be grown 

 nearly as well here as in Europe, still, at pres- 

 ent, the demand for it is so great that our home- 

 crown stock has been altogether insufficient to 

 meet the demand, and probably 50,000 roots are 

 annually imported from England, Holland, and 

 Germany. The roots best suited for pot cul- 

 ture are those having a diameter of from four to 

 six inches. These are potted in five and six 

 inch pots in fall, and covered up so that they 

 do not freeze, but yet have no artificial heat. 

 A dry, sheltered spot against a south fence or 

 wall is best; then, covered with ten or twelve 

 inches of leaves, they can be got at at any time 

 during winter, and should be taken into a cool 

 house say an average of 45 at night and wa- 

 tered sparingly until free indications of growth 

 are shown. When well rooted, and the flower 

 stems begin to show, they will stand a higher 

 temperature, but at no time should it be higher 

 than 55 at night, if the best development of 

 flower is desired. It is not very easy to say 

 what time it takes the plant to be at its best 

 flowering from the time it is placed in the 

 green-house ; hence it is best to have them come 

 in in succession. At an average of 50 at night 

 and ten degrees higher during the day, from 

 four to ten weeks will be required to get the 

 plant in full development of bloom. A beauti- 

 fully variegated leaved variety of S. Japonica was 

 introduced into the United States about 1865, 

 from Japan, but it did not take kindly to our 

 hot and dry climate, and has now nearly disap- 

 peared; but, we believe, in the more congenial 

 atmosphere of Britain, it makes a beautiful 

 plant, as, added to its fine variegation, the 

 flower spikes are more dense and compact than 

 in the plain-leaved species. Another Spiraea, 

 sent to the United States some ten years ago 

 from London as S. palmata, is now well known, 

 more from the fact of its being sent out as new, 

 and at a very high price, than as being of any 

 special merit in itself. The facts of the case are, 

 that 8. pcdmata had been introduced into En- 

 gland as early as 1822, and was to be found in 

 every herbaceous plant collection in Britain, of 

 any note. Some one had probably again found 

 it in its native habitat, had not known of its 

 long introduction, offered it as a new plant to 

 some not over-scrupulous or not too well-posted 

 nurseryman in London, and out it came on us 

 at the modest price of half a guinea apiece, and 

 sickly little morsels at that, while the same 

 plant was offered with the same name in half a 

 dozen catalogues at one-twentieth the price. 

 We never yet have been able to understand this 

 error, if error it was, as it was virtually endorsed 

 by a score of the leading nurserymen in En- 

 gland, by their offering it as new in their cata- 

 logues, besides being described and lauded in 

 several of the leading horticultural and botani- 

 cal magazines in Europe as well as in this coun- 

 try. Evidently the botanist (?) who collected 

 it was a tyro at his work, or he would have 

 known enough to look up the genus, so as not 

 to stumble on some old name for his new-found 

 bantling; but this he evidently did not do; for, 

 if he had looked up London's Encyclopedia of 

 Plants, or any of the more recent works, he 

 would have seen that S. palmata was introduced 



SPU 



in 1822; and if he had carried his investigations 

 further, he would have found that his S. palmata 

 was identical with that of 1822. Our excuse for 

 treating this matter at leugth is, that many are 

 not yet aware of the true state of the case, and 

 continue to import S. palmata as a comparatively 

 new plant, and yet at a high price. We may 

 state further, that all the plants of this division 

 of the genus are unsuited to our hot, dry cli- 

 mate, unless planted in partial shade. 



Spiranthes. Lady's Tresses. From speira, a spi- 

 ral, and anthos, a flower; in allusion to the spi- 

 ral manner in which the flowers are arranged. 

 Linn. Gynandria-Monandria. Nat. Ord. Orcliid- 

 acece. 



A genus of terrestrial Orchids,numbering about 

 fifty species. Some require green-house treat- 

 ment, and others are perfectly hardy herbaceous 

 plants. All the species are very pretty, but not 

 of sufficient merit to warrant their introduction 

 into the green-house. Of the hardy species, 

 several are indigenous in the Middle States, 

 three or four being found on Long Island. The 

 flowers are small and white, produced on a spi- 

 rally-twisted spike, by which the genus is easily 

 recognized. S. cernua is a pretty native species. 



Spleenwort. See Aspleninm. 



Spqndias. Hog Plum. The Greek name for a 

 Kind of plum; the fruit resembles a plum. Linn. 

 Decandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Anacardiacece. 

 A genus of evergreen trees common in the 

 tropics of both hemispheres, chiefly interesting 

 for their fruits. S. Mombin yields an eatable 

 fruit, called Hog Plum in the West Indies. The 

 taste is said to be peculiar, and not very agree- 

 able to strangers. They are chiefly used to fat- 

 ten swine. S. dulcis, a native of the Society 

 Islands, yields a fruit the flavor of which is 

 compared to that of the Pineapple. The flower 

 buds of S. Mombin are used as a sweetmeat with 

 sugar. Several of the species are esteemed for 

 their medicinal properties, and one or two are 

 cultivated as ornamental plants. 



Sponge G-ourd. See Luffa. 



Spoonwood. See Kalmia latifoUa. 



Sprekelia. Named after Dr. Sprekel, a German 

 botanist. Linn. Hexandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Amaryllidacece. 



8. formosissima, commonly known as Amaryllis 

 formosissima, or Jacdbcean LUy, the only described 

 species of this genus, is a bulbous 'plant, with 

 splendid dark scarlet flowers. It is called Ja- 

 cobsean on account of the brilliant scarlet of its 

 flowers, which the Spaniards in Peru thought 

 resembled the scarlet swords worn by the knights 

 of the order of St. James, (Jacobasus.) These 

 bulbs succeed well planted in the open border 

 in May. They produce their flowers in June, 

 and the bulbs ripen off by fall, when they 

 should be taken up and dried with the tops on, 

 and stored in a dry room free from frost, until 

 time for planting out again. They are desirable 

 for pot culture, or for growing in glasses like 

 Hyacinths, requiring the same culture. They 

 are increased by offsets. They are natives of 

 Guatemala. Introduced in 1658. 



Spotted Cowbane. See Cicuta maculata. 



Spotted Wintergreen. See Chimaphila maculata. 



Spring Beauty. A local name for Claytonia, 

 which see. 



Spring Snowflake. See Leucojum vernum. 



Spruce. The popular name of the genus Abies, 

 which see. 



Spurge. See Euphorbia. 



Spurge Nettle. See Jatropha and Lrora. 



