erect- 

 leared 



imlh 

 It fcr 

 B M 

 Tra 



RHCEO 



of the ovary. A', discolor is a short-stemmed 

 growing long lea^ eil plant not unlike a broad 

 small Pandanus in habit FN white innll -ind 

 in a boat-shaped spathe Iiki vi, i f ,, ,, ,„ ti 

 axil of the leaf and which i I 



3, f ree, more or less I et il 1 1 1 

 stamens 6. Vai vittata, H 



Tar. fittata, Miq T ill'. It II 



raj-tVprrt^a, Hort ), is the eomm ii t mn m c ult 11 

 are 8-12 in. long, dark purple beneath and longituc 

 striped above with pale yellow A stnkin^' pU 

 the warmhouse, or for the open in the South 

 5079. F.S. 11 IIM-TO Cult as for warmhouse 

 descantias. ^ g 



BHOPALA. See Soupala. 



RH0PAL6STYLIS (name refers to the club-shaped 

 spadix). Palmdcew. Two species of pinnate palms, 

 both of which are favorite conservatory palms and 

 nearly always sold as species of Areea or Kentia. How- 

 ever, Rhopalostylis belongs to the large group in which 

 the ovule is borne on the side and is more or less pen- 

 dulous, while in Areca and Kentia the ovule is at the 

 base and erect. From the 5 cultivated genera listed 

 under ffedi/seepe (which see) Rhopalostylis differs as 

 follows; sepals of staminate fls. awl-shaped to lanceo- 

 late, not imbricated: stamens 6-12: pistillate fls. with 

 short petals, valvate at the apes. The two species are 

 spineless palms with medium ringed caudices: Ivs. ter- 

 minal, equally pinnatisect ; segments equidistant, numer- 

 ous, narrowly sword-shaped, acuminate, the margins not 

 thickened, recurved at the base, the midveins promi- 

 nent, with 1-3 nerves on each side : rachis concave above, 

 .scurfy; petiole very short; shratli .■I,.ii-:,t,-,l : spadiees 

 short, spreading, with a verv sliort, tlii.k |h ,hmcle, and 

 fringed, rather thick, denselv-il.l. iMan.li,.^. spathes 2, 

 symmetrical, oblong, flatteiied, tin- I..w,r 2-winged.' 

 bracts adnate to the flower-bearing areas, subulate at 

 the apex: bractlets scaly: fls. medium: fr. small or 

 medium, ellipsoidal, smooth. 



sApida, H. Wendl. & Drude (Areea sdpida, Soland. 

 Ki^Htia sdpida. Mast.). Stem 6-10 ft. high, 6-8 in. in 

 diam., cylindrical, green: Ivs. 4-6 ft. long, pinnate: 

 segments very narrow, linear ; margin replicate ; 

 nerves, midrib and petiole covered with minute scales- 

 fls. pale pinkish : fr. brown. New Zealand. B.M. 5139. 



Bai^eri, _H. Wendl. & Drude (Areca Baueri, Hook. 

 Kentia Buiieri, Seem. Seafirthia robiista, Hort. ). 

 Stouter and taller than B. sapida: Ivs. larger and 

 broader; segments linear-lanceolate, acuminate; nerves, 

 midrib and petiole sparsely scaly: fls. white: fr. more 

 globose, scarlet. Norfolk Isl. I. H. 15:575. B.M. 5735 

 Jaked G. Smith. 



BHUBAEB, or Pie-plant (see Rlieum), is com- 

 monly grown by division of the roots, and this is the 

 only method by which a particular type can be in- 

 creased. Propagation from seed, however, often proves 

 satisfactory, and always interesting, as the seedlings 

 vary greatly. The seed germinates easily, and if 

 started early the plants become fairly large and strong 

 the same season. Although the crop is so easily pro- 



RHUBARB 



1527 



duced, 



< certain and regular after a plantation has 

 once been started, it is one of the most profitable of 

 market-garden crops, even in small places and neigh- 

 Dorhoods. A large number of home gardeners are still 

 without It on their premises, although everybody seems 

 to want Rhubarb pie as soon as spring opens, this plant 

 giving the first available material in the year for pies. 

 Rhubarb delights in extremely rich soil. Very large 

 and brittle leaf-stalks cannot be secured except from 

 sou that IS really-filled with manure to overflowing." 

 the seedlings, however, may be started in any good 

 clean garden soil. Sow seed in early spring, in rows a 

 toot apart and not over an inch deep. Thin the plants 

 promptly to stand a few inches apart in the rows, and 

 give the same thorough cultivation allowed to other 

 garden crops. In the following fall or spring take the 

 see(lling.s up, and set them in the well-prepared perma- 

 nent patch, not less than four feet apart each wav, and 

 cultivate frequently during the entire season. Ten to 

 twenty plants will supply the demands of one house- 



hold, possibly with some to spare for the neighbors. 

 In spring of the next year the stalks may be pulled 

 fietl\ When soil fertility forces a rampant growth, 

 '" * " ^^ill he large and brittle enough without the 

 ' I kegs (bottomless and coverless) placed 



I Is The beds should be renewed every 4 

 I the least, as the clumps of roots grow so 

 I 11 1 h n e so many eyes, that the stalks soon be- 



( 111. HI lie numerous than desirable, and run down in 

 size Take up the entire roots and cut them to pieces 

 leaving only one strong eve to the piece, and plant the 

 pieces in a newh ; lejiared bed (or even in the old one 

 It properly mil I I ,,nd |mi iMi-ed) four feet apart each 

 way as beforr. - . :, ::i.- produced freely during 

 the entire sr,,,, , i. - l„.uld be promptly pulled 

 up, unless scr.l i- i :,ni. .i, A Irwrnay be left to mature 

 the seed crop. 



Rhubarb can be forced in coldframes, under the 

 greenhouse benches, or even in an ordinary house 

 cellar. The plants need warmth (even that of a lantern 

 .set among them will do), but require no light. Take up 

 good strong roots (2-year seedlings being best) in 

 autumn; leave them out until after exposure to freez- 

 ing, then crowd them together in boxes with a little soil 

 between and under them, and .set them underthe green- 

 house bench, or wherever wanted, or plant them out on 

 the cellar bottom. t. Geeiner. 



Rhubarb is a hardy plant and will withstand consider- 

 able neglect, but, like most cultivated vegetables, it 

 responds readily to proper care and good treatment. 

 The large fleshy stems desired in culinary use are 



produced in part by the great 

 in reserve by the many big 

 Everything shnuM 1,,. X^i.r \,, 

 reserve food. 'I'l'' . ' :, , 



damentals. In 1 1 

 a southern exp. ;.m :, — 



of plant-food held 

 ■oots of the vegetable. 



it"i' .t-i. this supply of 

 '■ n-fore, are fun- 

 I '■ writer prefers 

 • I" ■i.ipt? to the south 

 IL six.uiid 6-8 in. deep, 

 plants 3 ft. apart, ■ " " 



to give good diaiiiu.;^. 

 draw furrows 5 ft. apari , 



the buds one inch below the level of the ground, 

 the soil lacks in fertility mix compost with the dirt that 

 is placed about the roots; never put fresh manure next 

 to the roots. As soon after planting as possible start 

 the cultivator, and give a thorough stirring at intervals 

 of 6-8 days up to the middle or last of August. After 

 the ground is frozen cover the rows 3-1 in. deep with 

 manure that is as free as possible from weed and grass 

 seed. As early in the spring as the ground can be 

 worked to advantage, start the cultivator and work the 

 manure into the soil. Each alternate season the sur- 

 face of the soil should have a good dressing of manure. 

 The third or fourth vear after planting the hills should 

 be divided. Remove the earth from one side of the hill 

 and with a sharp spade cut tlimugh the crown, leaving 

 3-4 buds in the hill undisturbed. This work should be 

 done in the fall or early in the spring. 



As a forced vegetald'e, Rhubarb is growing in popu- 

 larity. The plant has no choice as to whether it is 

 grown in light or darkness. Blanching improves the 

 flavor and rr-.hir,.s tin- a.-i,l. lessining the quantity 



of s"S:>r 1 l-'l il kiiii'. Divid.-d roots, with 1-3 



buds, wliiW, liav.. Ih..,! ;;i-,.wn ill hi-hly fertilized, 



well-tllle.i s,,il will ;;ivr 111,, bf.st ivsults. Plow Out 



the plants any tim,.- alu-r killin- fn.sts, divide the 

 roots and place them in mi,l;1.. lav. is on top of the 

 ground, covering with .■aiili suiil.iriiilv to protect the 

 roots from the air. I,eav, iIhi,, in tliis condition until 

 the roots have been slightly fr.iz.n, an. I then place the 

 roots either in a root cellar, a frame h.-ated by pipes, a 

 hotbed, mushroom house or under Vienches in a green- 

 house. Pack the roots close together, filling in and 

 packing closely with good ricli soil. The crowns should 

 be covered 4-G in. K,, p the s.iil moist and maintain a 

 genial teinperatnr.^ ..f ,-,,--i;ii . Avoid over-watering. 

 The roots may l... pa.k. ,1 in a family cellar without any 

 bad effect to oth, ■■ ilnn^s. as th.re is no odor from the 

 plants. .Judgment must be exercised in pulling the 

 stems. The work should always be done by an experi- 

 enced person. 



The writer has grown seedlings for ten successive 

 years. Fully 75 per cent of all the seedlings showed a 

 tendency to degenerate, and 25 per cent were almost as 

 coarse as burdocks in appearance. Half of one's seed- 



