AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



127 



DID 



Didymochlae'na. From didymoa, twin, and 

 chlaina, a cloak ; referring to the covering of 

 the spore cases. Nat. Ord. Polypodiacece. 



A small genus of very handsome green-house 

 Ferns, natives of Africa and South America. 

 They are allied to Aspidium, and are not often 

 met with, except in choice collections. 



Dieffenba'chia. Named after Dr. Dieffenbach, 

 a German botanist. Nat. Ord. Aroidece. 



A genus of showy plants, all inhabitants of 

 tropical America and the West Indies. They 

 are grown for the beauty of their foliage, 

 which is a very light green, thickly dotted 

 with irregularly-shaped, pure white blotches, 

 which give the plant a decidedly variegated 

 appearance. A number of very choice and 

 beautiful species have been introduced of 

 late years from the United States of Colombia. 

 They require a warm house, and should be 

 kept near the glass to bring out their full 

 colors. When at rest, if water is thrown over 

 them, they are liable to damp off. The juice 

 of these plants is decidedly poisonous ; for 

 this reason, and their awkward appearance 

 when at rest, they have lost much of the 

 favor that was bestowed upon them at their 

 early introduction. D. Seguine picta (Syn. 

 Caladium seguinum), is called the "dumb 

 cane" by the natives, because it has the 

 power,-when chewed, of swelling the tongue 

 and paralyzing the speech. It is said that 

 Humboldt, when gathering the plant, un- 

 fortunately tasted it, and, in consequence, 

 lost his speech for several days. They are 

 propagated by division and by cuttings, 

 and should be grown in a light, rich loam, 

 freely mixed with sand and leaf mould. 



Diely'tra. After years of learned discussion 

 among botanists as to the derivation of this 

 word, it is now accepted that it was errone- 

 ously changed from Diclytra, which, in the 

 first instance, was accidentally printed for 

 Dicentra. As, however, D. spectabilis is so 

 well know as Dielytra, we describe it under 

 that name. Nat. Ord. Fumariacece. 



D. spectabilis, the " Bleeding Heart," a na- 

 tive of Siberia, was found by Mr. Fortune in 

 the gardens in the north of China, and sent 

 it, in 1846, to the London Horticultural 

 Society. This species is too well known to 

 need description. It is only proper, how- 

 ever, to say it is by far the handsomest of its 

 tribe, and will grow in thick groves or in the 

 most sunny situations. In the shade they do 

 not flower so freely as in sunny places, but 

 last longer, and more than compensate the 

 loss of flowers by their luxuriant, graceful 

 foliage. This species is well adapted for pot 

 culture. It should be potted in November, 

 left outside until it has formed new roots, 

 and then brought into a gentle heat, and it 

 will come into flower early in March. Taking 

 it all in all, it is probably the finest hardy 

 plant in cultivation. The plants are increased 

 by division of roots, which should be done as 

 soon as they start in spring. 



Diervi'lla. Named after M. Dierville, a French 

 surgeon. Nat. Ord. Caprifoliacece. 



A small genus of low-growing shrubs, with 

 yellow flowers, appearing in spring, by no 

 means so showy as the allied Japanese genus 

 Weigelia, which by some authors is placed 

 under this genus. They are common from 

 Canada southward. 



DIL 



Diffuse. Scattered, widely spread, as in Veronica 

 saxatUis. 



Digging. This is now nearly all done by the 

 digging fork in place of the spade, unless in 

 soils that are being broken up fronj sod. The 

 fork pulverizes the soil much better (the only 

 object to be attained by digging), is much 

 lighter to handle, and the wonder is why, for 

 generations the spade was used, when the 

 manure fork, at the same time in use, had 

 not suggested its value for digging purposes. 



Digita'lis. Fox-glove. From the Latin digitals, 

 the finger of a glove; referring to the shape 

 of the flower. Nat. Ord. Scrophulariacea. 



This genus consists of several species, bi- 

 ennials and perennials, all perfectly hardy 

 and of the easiest culture. D. purpurea, the 

 common Fox-glove, has long been cultivated 

 as an ornamental border plant, and is the 

 most useful of the class. There are some 

 with white, rose and yellow flowers that are 

 very beautiful, but not so free flowering. 

 They prefer a rich, loamy soil, and partial 

 shade, and are propagated by seeds or root 

 division. Natives of central Europe, northern 

 Africa and western Asia. A popular English 

 name of the Digitalis purpurea is Witches' 

 Fingers. The plant is used in medicine. 



Digitate. Where several distinct leaflets radiate 

 from the point of a leaf-stalk ; applied to a 

 simple leaf, where the lobes are very narrow. 

 deeply cut, and all extending nearly to the 

 base of the limb, like the extended fingers of 

 the human hand, as in the Horse -Chestnut, 

 Lupins, Spiraea palmata, etc. 



Dill. Anethum graveolens. Dill is a hardy bi- 

 ennial plant, a native of Spain, and has been 

 under cultivation in English gardens for 

 nearly three hundred years. The plant grows 

 upright, and resembles Fennel, only it is 

 smaller. The flowers are borne in an umbel, 

 and appear in July. The whole plant is 

 strongly aromatic. The leaves are used in 

 pickles, and to give flavor to soups and 

 sauces. It was formerly included in domestic 

 medicines. It is readily grown from seed in 

 any good garden soil. 



Dille'nia. A genus of very beautiful lofty ever- 

 green trees, inhabiting dense forests in India, 

 and the Malayan Peninsula and Islands, with 

 very large and showy flowers, something like 

 the Magnolia. D. Spedosa is one of the hand- 

 somest of Indian trees, whether the beautiful 

 foliage is considered or the size and structure 

 of the flowers. Unfortunately it is only suited 

 to places where plenty of room can be af- 

 forded. 



Dillenia'ceae. This order consists of trees, 

 shrubs, or under-shrubs, found chiefly in 

 India, Australia, and America. There are 

 about thirty known genera and over 200 

 species. Some are large timber trees 

 while others are valued for their flowers and 

 fruits. Illustrative genera are Dillenia, Can- 

 dollea, Delima, etc. 



Dillwy'nia. In honor of L. W. Dttlwyn, a 

 British patron of botany. Nat. Ord. Legumi- 



Handsome green-house plants, of neat habit 

 of growth, free to flower, and of easy cultiva- 

 tion. An airy part of the green-house should 

 be allotted to them in winter, and through 

 the summer they will be benefited by being 



