DANDELION 



ter salad very like harhe de cnpucin. Riiots dug in 

 fall and dried are sold for medicinal purposes in drug 

 stores under the name of Taraxacum. l. H. B. 



DANGLEBERRY or BLUE TANGLEBEBEY. Gaij- 



lussacia froudosa. 



OAFHNE (Greek name of Laurus nobilis). Thy- 

 viekedcew. Ornamental evergreen or deciduous shrubs, 

 with handsome foliage and sweet-scented, white, purple, 

 lilac or rarely greenish fls.. which, in warmer climates, 

 often appear during the winter. Lvs. alternate, rarely 

 opposite, entire, short-petioled : fls. in clusters, short 

 racemes or umbels, apetalous, mostly fragrant; perianth 

 tubular or campanulate, 4-lobed, corolla-like, usually 

 clothed with silky hairs outside ; stamens 8, included; 

 stigma capitate, sessile or nearly so : fr. a fleshy or 

 leathery 1-seeded drupe. About 40 species in Eu. and 

 Asia. Only JD. Meiereum, with very early lilac, fra- 

 grant fls. and decorative scarlet fr., and some low ever- 

 green species, like D. Cneorum and D. Btayniiana, are 

 hardy north, while most of the evergreen species can be 

 recommended only for warmer climates. D. Pontica and 

 v. Laiirrnhi. with larffe evergreen lvs., are hardy as far 

 north as N.w York. Daphnes thrive best in a well 

 drained, lii_'!it snil jiinl in a partly shaded position, but 

 some, as 1>. ( ' lu ^•riun and D. Blagayana, which are ex- 

 ceedingly pritty plants for rockeries, do better in sunny 

 situations. In the north, D. odora and its varieties are 

 often grown in pots for their sweet-scented and hand- 

 some fls. appearing during the winter. A sandy com- 

 post of peat and loam in equal proportions will suit them ; 

 they require a good drainage and careful watering dur- 

 ing the winter, and pots not larger than just necessary 

 should be given; they may also be planted out in a cool 

 greenhouse and trained as a wall plant. D. Genkiea, 

 with ab\iii.lant lilac fls. before the lvs., is sometimes 

 forced. l'n.|'. I'V sr.ds. sown after maturity or strati- 

 fied, but unniiiiatiii- very slowly; also by layers put 

 down ill siiuim ainl t.ik.n off the following year. The 

 evergrt'i-ii sii.-.i.s may be increased by cuttings of ma- 

 ture wood ill fall unili-r glass, and kept in a cool green- 

 house during the winter." If gentle bottom heat can be 

 given in early spring, it will be of advantage to the de- 

 velopment of the roots ; softwood cuttings taken from 

 forced plants may also be used. B. odora is often 

 veneer-grafted on seedling stock of B. Laumolii in win- 

 ter, or on roots of B. Mezernim. B. Cneorum and 

 probably its allies are readily increased in spring liy re- 

 moving the earth around the plant, pegging down the 

 branches and filling with fine compost almost to the 

 tops of the branches. Next spring, if the compost is 

 carefully removed, a large number of little buds, each 

 supplied with a white root, are found along the branches ; 

 they are easily detached and planted in pans or boxes. 

 In California, according to Franceschi, the species 

 most commonly grown is D. odora, the plants being 

 mostly imported from Japan. Many plants are also sent 

 from Japan for eastern greenhouse culture. A decoction 

 of the bark of B. Mezeretim is sold in drug stores under 

 the name of Mezereum. It is stimulant and diuretic. It 

 is also known as Olive Spurge. Alfred Rehder. 



Although hardy Dai.hn.s an- Renerally recommended 

 to be planted in'inntial slia.l., tliey invariably succeed 

 in open, sunny )>la.,s. ami . vm in dry sjiots when the 

 start is made witli stroiii:. wi'll-rooted plants. They 

 grow very freely in a light, open, well drained soil, en- 

 riched with thoroughly decayed manure. An annual top- 

 dressing of the same material is of great benefit to the 

 plants, young or old. 



For propagation by cuttings, half-ripened wood is 

 best. Layers should not be separated mitil early in the 

 following spring, and it is advisable to shade the young 

 plants in their new quarters for a few weeks until the 

 roots have taken hold in the ground and growth has 

 started. Cuttings should not be subjected to a very 

 strong bottom heat before a good callus has formed, as 

 they are slow to emit roots, and free growth can not be 

 expected until the young plants attain the age of 2 

 years. The commonest of the hardy kinds is B. Cneo- 

 rum; but B. Blagayana, which is still very rare in 

 America, is a charming species, worthy of greater popu- 

 larity. Grafts of this species are likely to die without 



DAPHNE 455 



apparent cause. B. Neiipolifana needs a sheltered 

 po-sition. J. B. Keller. 



Alphabetical list of species described below : D. au- 

 tumnalis, 1; Blagayana, 5; buxifolia, 7; Cneorum, 4; 

 collina, 6; Bauphini, 8; Belphini, 8; Fioniana, 7; For- 

 tune!, 3; Genkwa, 3; Houtteana, 3; hybrida, 8; Indies, 

 9; Japonica,9; Jenkwa, 3; Laureola, 10; Mazeli, 9; 

 Mezereum, 1, 2; odora, 9; odorata, 9; oleoides, 7; Pon- 

 tica, 10; sericea, 6; Van Houttei, 2. 



A. Lvs. deciduous : fls. axiUary along the branches of 

 the previous year, appearing before the lvs. 



1. Mezereum, Linn. Erect shrub, with stout branches, 

 to 4 ft.: lvs. alternate, cuneate, oblong or oblanceolate, 

 glabrous, grayish beneath, 1-3 in. long: fls. usually 3, 

 sessile, silky outside, fragrant, lilac-purple, appearing 

 much before the lvs. : fr. roundish ovoid, scarlet. Feb.- 

 Apr. Eu. to Altai and Caucasus. Gn. 29:550.-Var. 



676. The Dandelio 



