AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



115 



CYC 



yields the much-valued straw from which the 

 Guyaquil or Panama hats are manufactured, 

 is the best known representative of the order. 



Cycla'nthera. A free-growing Mexican climber, 

 belonging to the Cucurbitacecz. It has hand- 

 some foliage, and pretty oval-shaped fruit, ex- 

 ploding when ripe. 



Cyclan'thus. From kyklos, a circle, and anthos, 

 a flower; in allusion to the spiral arrange- 

 ment of the flowers. Nat. Ord. Cydantha- 

 cecB. 



A remarkable genus of tropical American, 

 perennial, stemless, milky herbs. C. discolor 

 has bifid lanceolate leaves, with a tapering 

 point, more or less frilled at the edges. The 

 young leaves are streaked, of a tawny orange 

 hue, which passes off as they become matured. 

 Introduced from Guiana in 1882. Syn. Cyclo- 

 santhes. 



Cyclobo'thra. From kyklos, a circle, and 

 bothros, a pit ; in reference to a cavity at the 

 bottom of each sepal. Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



A genus of very handsome bulbous plants 

 from California and Mexico. They are allied 

 to the Calochortus, and require the same 

 treatment. The flowers are nodding, like 

 those of the Fritillarias, and of white, yellow, 

 and purple colors. They are easily propagated 

 by the small bulbs that grow on the upper 

 part of the stems. 



Cyclo'gyne. From kyklos, a circle, and gyne, a 

 stigma, or female organ ; in reference to the 

 disposition of the pistils. Nat. Ord. Legumi- 

 nosce. 



A very beautiful green-house evergreen 

 shrub from Swan River. It is remarkable 

 for the appearance of the pinnate leaflets, 

 which are clad underneath with white hairs ; 

 and this, with the profusion of purple flowers 

 it bears, renders it an attractive object. 

 Propagated by seeds or cuttings. 



Cycno'ches. Swan Neck. From kyknos, a 

 swan, and auchen, the neck ; in reference to 

 the long and gracefully curved column. Nat. 

 Ord. Orchidaceee. 



Some of the species are considered indis- 

 pensable to the Orchid house, for the beauty 

 and delightful fragrance of the flowers. They 

 require strong heat and moisture. 



Cydo'nia. Quince. The name of Cydonia was 

 given to this plant by the ancients, from its 

 growing abundantly near Kydon, in the isle 

 of Crete, now Candia. Nat. Ord. Rosacece. 



The common Quince, C. vulgaris, has been 

 under cultivation from a very early period. 

 Pliny says: "There are many kinds of this 

 fruit in Italy; some growing wild in the 

 hedgerows, others so large that they weigh 

 the boughs down to the ground." Martial, 

 who died at Rome A. D. 104, states that the 

 Romans had three sorts of Quinces, one of 

 which was called Chrysomela, from its yellow 

 color. They boiled them with honey, as the 

 Europeans make marmalade. Botanical re- 

 searches show that the Quince grows spon- 

 taneously on the hills and in the woods of 

 Italy, in the south of France, in Spain, Sicily, 

 Sardinia, the Crimea, and in the south of the 

 Caucasus ; it also grows abundantly on the 

 banks of the Danube, and in the north of 

 Africa. "The learned Goropius maintains 

 that Quinces were the golden apples of Hes- 

 perides, and not Oranges, as some commen- 



CYM 



tators pretend. In support of his argument 

 he states that it was a fruit much revered by 

 the ancients, and he assures us that there 

 has been discovered at Rome a statue of 

 Hercules that held in its hand three Quinces. 

 This, he says, agrees with the fable which 

 states that Hercules stole the golden apples 

 from the gardens of the Hesperides." This 

 species is unquestionably the parent of the 

 several varieties under cultivation. There 

 seems to have been but little improvement 

 in this fruit in centuries. The great differ- 

 ence in the quality of this fruit, as seen in our 

 markets, is largely due to cultivation. The 

 common practice of planting the Quince 

 in some neglected corner results in getting 

 small, knotty fruit, almost if not altogether 

 worthless. The Quince should have a deep, 

 rich soil, rather heavy, and the ground should 

 be kept clean and free from grass. Attention 

 should also be paid to pruning, as a preventive 

 against slugs and other vermin. The trunks 

 and branches should be thoroughly rubbed 

 over with strong soft-soap every spring. 

 With this simple precaution the failure of a 

 crop of large, clean, healthy fruit will be very 

 rare. The propagation of the Quince is very 

 simple, the more rapid way being to take cut- 

 tings from the young wood in autumn, heel 

 them in in some protected place during winter, 

 and plant out in spring in a shaded situation, 

 and they will take root very readily. C. Japon- 

 ica, Syn. Pyrus Japanica, is a beautiful dwarf 

 species, remarkable for the brilliancy of its 

 blossoms, which vary from the richest scarlet 

 to the most delicate blush color. It is a na- 

 tive of Japan, perfectly hardy, and well 

 adapted for single plants on the lawn, or for 

 planting ornamental hedges. The fruit has a 

 delicious fragrance, but is entirely worthless 

 for domestic purposes. This species is best 

 propagated by root cuttings. C. Maulei, 

 dwarfer and more compact in habit than C. 

 Japonica, has bright red flowers and golden 

 yellow fruit, produced in great abundance, 

 and which makes an excellent conserve. It 

 is one of the most beautiful plants of com- 

 paratively recent introduction. 



Cylindrical. Cylinder-shaped ; approaching 

 closely to the form of a cylinder, as the stems 

 of grasses, etc. 



Cyli'sta. From kylitos, twining; referring to 

 the habit of the plants. Nat. Ord. Leguminosce. 

 A genus of ornamental climbing plants. C. 

 scariosa, found in the Bombay districts of 

 India, is a very ornamental climber, requiring 

 to be grown in a hot-house, as do most of the 

 genus. The flowers are very showy, bright, 

 yellow, borne on erect bracted racemes, and 

 are remarkable for their large papery calyx, 

 which is very conspicuous. Propagated by 

 cuttings. Introduced in 1776. 



Cymbi'dium. From kymbos, a hollow recess; 

 referring to a hollow recess in the lip or label- 

 lum. Nat. Ord. OrchidacecB. 



A genus containing both terrestrial and 

 epiphytal Orchids, many of them of rare 

 beauty, and all worthy of cultivation. C. 

 Sinense, a native of China, is remarkable for 

 its delicious fragrance. The epiphytal spe- 

 cies require the treatment of hot-house 

 Orchids; the terrestrial ones do well in a 

 green-house temperature. 



