HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



STK 



season, and with less cost, we think; for the 

 only labor after planting is to keep the ground 

 clean and pinch off the runners from July to 

 October, with the certainty of getting a full crop 

 next June, or in less than a year from the 

 time of planting, while by planting by ordinary 

 layers, if planted in August, we have three 

 months of fall culture, and six or seven months 

 of the next summer's culture, before a crop is 

 produced. Again, if the crop is continued to 

 fruit the second or third year, every one who 

 has had experience with the nature of the plant 

 knows that the labor of keeping the plants free 

 from weeds is enormous; while by the pot lay- 

 ering method of taking a fresh crop each year, 

 all such labor is dispensed with. It is useless 

 to name any special varieties of the Strawberry 

 as best to cultivate. We have now thousands 

 under cultivation, and such kinds as we might 

 now name as the best will, a few years hence, 

 be superseded. It is best to select from the an- 

 nual catalogues of some responsible nurseryman 

 or florist, where descriptions are usually fully 

 given. 



Strawberry Bush. See Eaonymus Americanus. 



Strawberry Shrub. See Calycanthus floridus. 



Strawberry Tomato. See Physalis Alkekengi. 



Strelitzia. Named in honor of the Queen of 

 George ILL., from the house of Mecklenburgh- 

 Strelitz. Linn. Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 Musacece. 



These are handsome plants, with large, pale- 

 green leaves, and singular, richly-colored flow- 

 ers. S. regince is the most common, and per- 

 haps the most beautiful ; its flowers are bril- 

 liant orange and purple. It is usual to grow the 

 species as hot-house plants, but they succeed 

 almost equally well in the green-house, placed 

 in large pots of rich loam, and kept in a light 

 part of the house at all times, except for a couple 

 of months, between June and September, when 

 they are best out of doors. They will thus 

 grow and flower finely. The species are all na- 

 tives of the Cape of Good Hope, and were intro- 

 duced in 1773. Propagation is slow, and is 

 effected by suckers, or from seed, when it can be 

 obtained. 



Streptocarpus. From streptos, twisted, and car- 

 pos, a fruit; referring to its long, twisted seed 

 pods. Linn. Diandria - Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 



A very neat and pretty dwarf plant, with vel- 

 vety leaves and lilac flowers, produced freely 

 all the summer. It may be grown in the green- 

 house, or used as a bedding plant for the open 

 border, where, in a warm situation, it will pro- 

 duce a multitude of flowers. It will bear almost 

 any treatment, but does best in pots of light, 

 sandy soil, and with plenty of heat in the early 

 stages of its growth, say from March to May, 

 after which a cool house or the open air will 

 preserve its flowers for a long time, and, being 

 produced in rapid succession, the plant will 

 be an object of beauty for at least four or 

 five months. They should have rest during 

 winter, like other green-house herbaceous per- 

 ennials. They are all interesting plants. In- 

 troduced from Natal in 1854. Propagated by 

 division. 



Strumaria. From struma, a tubercle; the style is 

 enlarged at the bottom. Linn. Hexandria-Mono- 

 gynia. Nat. Ord. AmaryQidacece. 



A small genus of interesting bulbs from the 

 Cape of Good Hope. The flowers are red, white, 

 or pink, somewhat resembling the Nerine, to 



STY 



which this genus is allied. They are of dwarf 

 habit, well adapted for green-house culture, 

 and succeed with but little care, the main requi- 

 site being to secure a good growth of foliage af- 

 ter flowering, as the flowers for the coming sea- 

 son will correspond, in size and strength, to the 

 growth of leaves. Propagated by offsets. Intro- 

 duced in 1812. 



Struthiopteris. From strmdhws, an ostrich, and 

 pteris, a fern ; resemblance of the leaves, or 

 fronds, to its feathers. Linn. C'ryptogamia-FUices. 

 Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



A small genus of hardy Ferns, with strong, 

 erect-growing fronds. S. Germanica, popularly 

 known as the Ostrich Fern, is common in most 

 of the Northern States. The species are also to 

 be found in India and Japan. Professor Gray 

 makes S. Pennsylvania, Willd., and Onocka 

 Struthiopteris, L., synonymous with S. Germanica. 

 Strychnos. Nux Vomica. The Greek name of 

 the Solanum. Linn. Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. 

 Ord. Apocynacece. 



A small genus of evergreen trees, natives of 

 the East Indies. S. Nux-vomica is well known, 

 from the seeds that bear that name, and which 

 contain an active principle called Strychnia, a 

 virulent poison. This species is a tree of mod- 

 erate size, much branched, and covered with 

 dark gray, smooth bark. The flowers are small, 

 bell-shaped, and nearly white. The tree has 

 nothing of special interest, if we except its 

 power for evil. The seeds of -S. potatorum show 

 a marked contrast to the preceding. They are 

 an important article of merchandise in the In- 

 dian bazaars, being sold for the purpose of 

 clearing muddy water, the vessels containing the 

 water being rubbed for a minute or two round 

 the inside with one of the seeds; after which, 

 by allowing the water to settle for a short time, 

 however impure and muddy it may have been 

 before, it becomes clear and wholesome. 

 Stuartia. Named after John Stuart, Marquis of 

 Bute. Linn. Monaddphia-Polyandria. Nat. Ord. 

 TernstromiacecK. 



A small genus of hardy deciduous shrubs, 

 with axillary white flowers. They are indige- 

 nous in Virginia and southward. 

 Stylidium. From stylos, a column ; the stamens 

 and style are joined into a column Linn. Gynan- 

 dria-Diandria. Nat. Ord. Stylidiacecv. 



A genus of evergreen and herbaceous plants 

 from New Holland. They are all neat little green- 

 house plants, each of the numerous stems pro- 

 ducing a copiously-filled spike of small rose- 

 colored flowers. They should be cut down an- 

 nually after flowering, and require some care to 

 preserve them free from mildew through the 

 damp weather of winter. A light, airy shelf is 

 the best preventive, and a sprinkling of sulphur 

 on the affected parts will generally remove it. 

 Propagated by cuttings of young shoots. In- 

 troduced in 1824. 



Styphelia. From slyphelos, hard ; referring to the 

 wood. Linn. Pentandria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 

 EpacridacecK. 



A genus of green-house evergreen shrubs, 

 harsh, erect, and low-growing. They have usu- 

 ally pink or scarlet flowers, axillary and droop- 

 ing. <S. tubiftora and a few other of the species 

 are very beautiful plants, their showy flowers 

 completely covering the stems, and remaining 

 several weeks in perfection. They should be 

 grown and propagated like the Epacris. 

 Styrax. Storax. From the Arabic. Linn. Decan- 

 dria-Monogynia. Nat. Ord. Styracece. 



