AND GENEKAL HORTICULTURE. 



123 



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ferred to that time. Thus, from December 

 to about the end of March, or later for some 

 species, may be regarded as the period first 

 mentioned, tho growing season commencing 

 with each individual as soon as its flowering 

 is over, and continuing until the growth is 

 complete, which is usually about the end of 

 August or some part of September, when they 

 require the perfect rest already spoken of. It 

 is in the variation of these seasons, the with- 

 holding or appliance of heat, that the whole 

 art of the management lies. If it is done 

 correctly, and at the proper time, of course 

 the plant progresses satisfactorily, but other- 

 wise all is confusion ; the plant continues 

 growing, but does not flower, becoming 

 weaker each season. An average of 55, with 

 but slight alteration, should be observed for 

 the dormant season ; increasing it gradually 

 to 65 or 70 for the flowering period, and after 

 this is past, the temperature may be allowed 

 to run up to 85, 90, or even more through 

 the summer, keeping a proportionate amount 

 of moisture in the atmosphere of the house 

 by means of frequent steaming, syringing, 

 etc. The genus consists of over 200 species, 

 of which upward of eighty have been intro- 

 duced into the green-house, and some of the 

 species are grown to an extent that warrants 

 their use as a cut-flower. Their appearance 

 in the florists' windows is by no means rare, 

 the more common being D. nobile, which 

 flowers freely in the green-house during the 

 winter, and is one of the very few Orchids 

 that will grow and flower very well in the 

 ordinary sitting-room. They are natives of 

 India, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. See 

 Orchids. 



Dendrochi'lum. From dendron, a tree, and 

 cheilos, a lip. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



A small genus of East Indian Orchids, 

 chiefly of little interest. One or two of the 

 species are highly esteemed by those who 

 make a specialty of Orchids. D. glumaceum is 

 a very handsome species, of neat habit, 

 producing graceful drooping spikes of ivory- 

 white flowers; the leaves, resembling those of 

 the Lily of the Valley, gives the plant an in- 

 teresting appearance when out of flower. D. 

 filiforme is another graceful little plant, with 

 yellow flowers. This genus requires to be 

 grown in heat, and the plants, when at rest, 

 should have an occasional watering, as the 

 pseudo-bulbs are quite small, and, if allowed 

 to shrivel, the plants would be lost. They 

 are increased by division. Introduced in 1836. 



Dendrome'coii. Tree Poppy. From dendron, 

 a tree, and mekon, a poppy ; resembling that 

 flower, with a woody stem. Nat. Ord. Pa- 

 paveracece. 



D. rigidum, the only species, is a hardy small 

 shrubby plant, with yellow flowers, a native 

 of California. The common name is very ap- 

 propriate, the plant having the appearance 

 and character of the Poppy tribe, with a 

 woody stem and branches. Increased by 

 seeds. 



Dendro'panax. From dendron, a tree, and 

 Panax, Tree Panax. Nat. Ord. Araliacece. 



Very handsome and effective warm green- 

 house plants. There are about twenty 

 species, natives of tropical Asia and America, 

 as well as China and Japan. D. argentea, has 

 oblong, entire leaves about a foot in length, 



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silvery white on the upper surface purplish 

 beneath. It is the only species in general 

 cultivation. 



Dennstae'dia. Derivation of name not given. 

 Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



A genus of Ferns, now merged in Dicksonia, 

 The name is also a synonym of Sitolobium. 



Denta'ria. Toothwort. Pepper-root. From 

 dens, a tooth ; referring to the fanged roots. 

 Nat. Ord. Cruciferce. 



A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials, 

 several of the species being common in most 

 of the States. The roots of D. diphylla have 

 a pungent, mustard-like taste, and are con- 

 siderably used as a salad, under the name of 

 Pepper-root. The plant is somewhat orna- 

 mental, of a dwarf habit, producing short 

 racemes of white or purplish flowers. They 

 are increased readily by division. 



Dentate. Having sharp teeth with concave 

 edges. When these teeth are themselves 

 toothed, the part is duplicate dentate; not 

 bidentate, which means two-toothed. 



Depa'ria. From depa, a cup, referring to the 

 form of the involucre. A small genus of rare 

 stove ferns, with generally bipinnate fronds. 

 Some of the species may be propagated from 

 the small bulblets they form on their fronds. 



Depauperate. When some part is less per- 

 fectly developed than is usual in plants of the 

 same family. 



Depressed. Pressed downward; having the 

 appearance of being flattened vertically, as 

 the tuber of the Turnip. 



Descending. Tending gradually downward, as 

 some branches and leaves. Also, penetrating 

 more or less vertically into the earth, as with 

 the root, the descending axis of vegetation. 



Desfontai'nea. In honor of M. Dcsfontaines, 

 a French botanist. Nat. Ord. Loganiacece. 



The few species that compose this genus are 

 very handsome green-house evergreen shrubs, 

 found in Peru. They have thick leaves with 

 spiny margins, like those of the Holly. This 

 is one of the plants that perplexes the bota- 

 nist, as there is nothing in its external appear- 

 ance that would lead to a knowledge of its 

 affinities. It has been placed under three 

 different classifications previous to the present 

 one. D. spinosa, the only described species, 

 has large flowers borne on terminal pedun- 

 cles, scarlet, with a yellow limb. The elegance 

 of its foliage and the brilliancy of its flowers 

 make it a very desirable green-house plant. It 

 requires about the same treatment as the 

 Fuchsia. Introduced in 1850. 



Designs. According to London, the art of 

 taking plans or designs of objects, should be 

 considered to be part of a gardener's general 

 education, since none who aspire to any 

 degree of eminence in their profession ought 

 to be ignorant of the first principles of geome- 

 try and drawing. It is just as necessary in 

 laying out a flower-garden, or planting an 

 intricate carpet-bed, to have the dimensions 

 carefully measured and a design drawn to a 

 scale, as it is to have a working plan in building 

 a house. This not only enables the operator 

 to arrange previously the positions and space 

 to be occupied by the various plants, but if 

 a colored design is made, enables him also 

 to see that the proportions of color are 



