1274 PEPPER 



about the seeds, the pungency of most of the smaller 

 sorts, like Coral (rem. Tabasco, Chilli, Cayenne, and 

 Cherry extends to the fleshy portion, but as a rule the 

 large kinds, like Ruby King (Pig. 1719), Squash, Bell, 

 Sweet Mountain, and Golden Queen are sweet or very 

 moderately pungent with the seeds removed. Some 

 medium-sized varieties, like Long Red, Celestial, and 

 Oxheart, are hot; others, like County Fair and Kaleido- 

 scope, are mild. 



As a rule Peppers are not grown in large quantities 

 in any particular locality, but most gardens near large 

 cities in the central and southern states grow a few to 

 supply local markets. 



In growing Peppers the seed is usually planted under 

 glass in February or March, and the young plants trans- 

 planted to pots or boxes when of sufficient size to han- 



1720. Pepp 



plant ready 





ki-pt 



die. From 12 to 20 days are require. 1 f. 

 germinate, the time varying accord ins; t.. 

 seed and the manner in which it h:is )>• 

 germinating power is said to last four ycM 

 in pods until sown will grow when 6 or 7 

 light, warm soil, heavily charged with humus and one 

 that will not quickly dry out, appears to be the best. 

 In May or June, or after all danger of frost is past, 

 the plants (Fig. 1720) are set in the field in rows about 

 2:2 ft. apart and 18 in. apart in the rows. The ground 

 is kept thoroughly cultivated, not only to keep down 

 weeds but to maintain an even but not excessive moist- 

 ure at all tiiii.-^. wlii.'h is vpry essential for best results 

 iTi -rowini.- tliis iil.nit. By kc-.i.iiiLT tlie soil well worked 

 u[> aiinnhi tin' |>hiiii ^ liny staini u|i nuich better against 

 tlii' «iuil> an. I wciulil i.f tlirirnuii fruit. Pruning or 

 pinfliiusc tlin iij' .nils ;illrr tilt' fruit begins to mature 

 is oceasicjiially rc.a.inuM ndi-d, but is rarely practiced 

 except whni ^|h ,jmh n^ ,.f especially fine fruit are de- 

 sired, in wliii-li ca-. Ill, Unit is thinned, leaving only a 

 few on each [ijanl "t tin- larger sorts. In gathering, the 

 fruit should not be torn off but cut witli a kiiif ■ scis- 

 sors, leaving at least one inch of stem. Tin' n-nal \-L'c- 

 table crate is used for packing and niarlM lint; iln ci,,|.. 



Insects do not injure Peppers growing: in tiir lirhi. 

 Red spider and greenfly (aphis) frequently attac'k 

 plauts growing under glass. The red spider may be 

 kept in check by repeatedly syringing with water, and 

 the greenfly may be killed bv fumigating with tobacco 

 dust. Two fungous diseasi-'s fr...|in-Titlv ..ccur on the 



large varieties growing ouiii". a- i^ a pink an- 



thracnose {Glmosporium pii"> li causes the 



fruit to rot about the time ii !■ ^ ' 1 n: the other 



is a dark anthracnose {Colh l^-^ ' " I' " "> >>":nitn). 



In preparing Peppers for table use, handle them with 

 gloves to prevent burning the fingers. Neither soap 

 nor water will soothe hands burned by Peppers, but 

 milk will. H. C. Irish. 



PEPPER GRASS. Lepi,li„m. 



PEPPERIDGE or TUPELO. See Ni/ssa. 



PERESKIA 



PEPPERMINT. See Meiitli,,. 



PEPPERMINT STRINGY BARK. Eucalyptus pi- 

 perita. 



PEPPER ROOT. Dentaria dipkijUa. 



PERAPH'fLLUM (from Greek pera, beyond, and 

 phijllijii : alluding to the crowded leaves). Jiosice(f. 

 The only species is a much-branched rigid shrub, with 

 deci.lnon^. aliirnate. rather small and narrow Ivs., 

 while i|., Mniilar I" apple-blossoms, in few-fld. upright 

 corynili- a|i|ic'ii in- with the Ivs., and berry-like edible 

 fr. llar.l\ as ini icTtli as Mass., but seems to possess 



onlylinl n lai v aim , It is of very slow growth 



and ill. 11, ins ..I, •., I -Ml- <ild. It grows in well- 



draincil ^i.il an.: ,1 : 11 inn, and is best suited to 



be plant. ..1 .III .... I -. .| . .1 snuthern aspect. Prop. 



by seeds au.l lai. r, I 1,, malting .>n .Xmclanchier or 



Cratiegus. It is .-i.i~rl\ ullu-.l t.. Ain.-lan.-lii-.r. but dis- 

 tinguished by ilv ...nx inli.isi. lis.. ,.\ liii.lri,. .-alyx-tube, 

 orbicular petals, an.l aKi. I.y ii> narn.w h ~. The only 

 species is P. ramosissimum, .Nnti., a rigid shrub, 2-6- 

 ft. high: Ivs. oblong to oblaneeolate, almost sessile, en- 

 tire or sparingly serrulate, silky pubescent when young, 

 %-2 in. long: fls. in few-fld. erect corymbs, white or 

 slightly tinged pink, with rose-colored disk, % in. 

 across ; petals orbicular s|ii-..aiiinir; styles 2-3: ovary 

 2- or incompletely l-.-. II. .1 : ii. |.. inlulous, globose, 

 brownish yellow, ab.mi ' m. ... 1.-^. May. Ore. to- 

 Calif, and Colo. B.M. 74J.i. Ai.fhed Rehder. 



PERENNIALS tend to live from year to'year, as op- 

 posed to annuals and biennials, which die root and branch 

 the first or second year after flowering and fruiting. Per- 

 ennials include trees, shrubs and herbs, the two former 

 being woody, the latter not. "Perennials " as commonly 

 used by gardeners is a convenient shortening of the 

 phrase "hardy herbaceous perennials," which includes 

 Peony, Phlox and other non-woody plants whose roots 

 live over the winter while their tops may die to the 

 ground. The phrase "hardy herbaceous perennials" 

 is also shortened in common speech to "herbaceous 

 plants;" or one speaks of his "hardy border." See 

 Serbs and Border. 



A popular fallacy about Perennials lies in the com- 

 mon statement that "they die down every year and 

 come up again in the spring." Many of them never 

 come up. Peonies are as long-lived as shrubbery, and 

 a clump of Fraxinella has been known to outlive father, 

 son and grandson in the same spot. But these are 

 exceptions. The general practice with Perennials is 

 to divide them every second or third year. Nearly all 

 hardy herbaceous plants should be lifted now and 

 then, because the crowns which give the flowers in 

 most desirable kinds flower only 2 or 3 seasons and 

 then die; but the plant may be continually spreading- 

 and making new growths, which furnish the flowers, and 

 unless lifted and divided the stocks become scattering 

 and unattractive. Another very good reason for lifting 

 and dividing the Perennials is that, being mostly strong- 

 rn.itid jilaiits, they deplete the soil. 



PERfiSKIA (Nicolaus Fabrieius Peireskius, of Aix, 

 France I. Cactdrea. Also written PcinsA/rt. Shrubby, 

 the slender, ..ftr-n very Inn..- brandies s,,r,.a,iing or 



wanting: Ivs. In-, .a-l. -..nni inirs nin.li Ilk., ill..-,, of the 

 lemon tree: tls. \\li.'.l--lia|.. .1, ]ii..i.' ..r I.-- [.anioulate 

 at the ends of t\vif;s; ..\ary [<r,il\ : s._a.ls ..lark, thin- 

 shelled, with two coverings. 



aculeita, Mill. Lemon Vine. Blad Apple. Barba- 

 DOES Gooseberry. Branches woody, rather slender, 

 becoming 10-20 ft- Inner: Ivs. pinnate-veined, 2-3 in. 

 long, 1-2 in. br...-nl: s|.in..s at tirst 2 intra-axillar, short 

 and hooked, lai. r nnim i..iis and 1-2 in. long: fls. very 

 pale yellow, si.in. lini. s ].)nkisli. 1-lJ^ in. broad, some- 

 what panicled at Iln- .11. Is .,f the branches: fr. lemon- 

 color, the size of an olive, at maturity nearly or quite 

 smooth. Widely spread in tropical America. B.M. 7147. 

 G.C. III. 20:625. -This species is much used as stock 

 on which to graft other species of Cacti. 



