AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



191 



HIC 



Quite a number of varieties of H. rosa-sinensis 

 have been introduced of late years that are 

 much superior to the typical species. H. 

 Syriacus (Althaea), one of our most beautiful 

 hardy shrubs, the more valuable as it is a free 

 flowerer, will grow almost anywhere, and 

 propagates freely by seeds, layers and cut- 

 tings. There is a pretty variegated-leaved 

 variety of H. Syriacus, quite hardy, introduced 

 by the late Robert Buist, of Philadelphia, 

 Penn. The varieties of this species are used 

 for hedges in many places along our coast, 

 where the soil is too poor for any other shrub 

 to thrive. H. Moscheutos is abundant in marshy 

 places along our coasts. The flowers are 

 a light rosy-pink color, sometimes nearly 

 white, five to six inches in diameter, borne in 

 great numbers on a scape three to four feet 

 high. This species improves in size of plant 

 and color of flower by removing it from its 

 habitat to a dry situation in the border. H. 

 Californica is a strong-growing species, bear- 

 ing immense pure white flowers, and is one of 

 the most va'uable plants of recent introduc- 

 tion. The perennials are propagated by seeds 

 or division of roots. The annuals are showy 

 and grow readily from seed. H. esculentus, 

 or Abelmoschus esculentus of modern botanists, 

 is the Okra of the gardens, a tender annual 

 from Central America and the West Indies. In 

 the latter it is known as Gombo, and is exten- 

 sively grown for the seed pods, which are used 

 as a vegetable. The unripe pods are added to 

 soups to render them more mucilaginous. 

 Tiiey are also pickled like capers, and make 

 an excellent salad. Okra may be raised by 

 sowing the seed in spring as soon as the 

 ground is warm. The dwarf varieties are 

 preferable, being more productive, and requir- 

 ing less space for their development. The 

 soil should be rich to make tender pods. 



Hickory. See Carya. 



Hiera'cium. Hawkweed. From hierax, a 

 hawk ; being supposed to sharpen the sight 

 of birds of prey. Nat. Ord. Composites. 



A large genus of free-flowering, handsome 

 herbaceous perennials, quite hardy and well 

 adapted for planting among rock-work, or 

 near the front of large groups of mixed plants ; 

 the genus also contains a very beautiful an- 

 nual suited for growing in masses; this is 

 perhaps better known by the English name 

 of the genus, Hawkweed. The flowers of 

 nearly all the species are yellow, several 

 of them are indigenous and common, but not- 

 withstanding are well deserving the little at- 

 tention necessary to keep them in the neat 

 order requisite in the flower garden. Most 

 species are from Central Europe, and have 

 long been cultivated as garden flowers. 



Hiero'chloa. Holy Grass, Vanilla Grass, 

 Seneca Grass. From hieros, holy, and chloa, 

 grass. Nat. Ord. Graminacece. 



A small genus of grasses inhabiting high 

 altitudes, both in this country and in Europe. 

 The species have no agricultural value, as they 

 produce but little herbage, and have very pow- 

 erful creeping roots, which are very difficult 

 to extirpate, making it troublesome in cul- 

 tivated fields. H. borealis, having been dedi- 

 cated to the Virgin Mary, is much used in 

 Catholic countries for strewing before their 

 churches. In Sweden it is hung over beds in 

 the belief that it induces sleep, because of its 



HIP 



sacred influence. In Iceland it is used to 

 scent the clothes and apartments of the in- 

 habitants. The scent emitted is very similar 

 to that of the Sweet-scented Vernal Grass. 



Hill. This is a term used to designate the 

 place where Tomatoes, Corn, Potatoes, Mel- 

 ons, etc., are planted ; and the use of the 

 term often leads the novice to serious errors 

 in planting, as it gives the impression that 

 a hill or mound must be made to sow and 

 plant on, and which is often done to the detri- 

 ment of the crop, as in our hot and dry cli- 

 mate, if a mound of four or five inches is 

 raised above the general level, the plants suf- 

 fer often severely in dry weather. If a " hill " 

 is formed at all, it should only be by drawing 

 the soil up to the plant to support it after it 

 has well started to grow ; such a mound will 

 then do less harm, as the foliage shades the 

 ground. In planting then, particularly on 

 light, dry soils, the "hills" for sowing or 

 planting should be made nearly on the level 

 surface. 



Hilum. The scar produced by the separation 

 of a seed from its placenta. 



Hi'ndsia. Named after R. B. Hinds, a zealous 

 botanist. Nat. Ord. Rubiacece. . 



Green-house evergreen shrubs from Brazil. 

 Some of the species are plants of great beauty. 

 H. violacea bears clusters of ultra-marine 

 flowers two inches long, very showy. They 

 are propagated by cuttings; introduced in 

 1844. 



Hippea'strum. Knight's Star Lily. From 

 hippeus, a knight, and astron, a star ; referring 

 to one of the species. Nat. Ord. Amarylli- 

 daceai. 



This may, with justice, be termed the most 

 noble and showy section of the family to 

 which it belongs. The flowers are variously 

 colored ; some species have them entirely 

 crimson, while others are white, abundantly 

 streaked with red or crimson. The plants 

 require the same treatment as Amaryllis. 

 This genus was formerly classed with the 

 Amaryllis, but was separated from it some 

 years ago by the Rev. W. Herbert, who, in 

 fact, reconstructed the whole family. They 

 are, however, still classed by many under 

 Amaryllis (which see), and are remarkable for 

 the number of gorgeous and attractive hy- 

 brids and crosses that have been obtained by 

 the skill and perseverance of the hybridist. 

 Propagated by offsets. First introduced 

 from Lima in 1836. 



Hippo'mane. Manchineel or Manzanillo tree. 

 From hippos, a horse, and mane, madness ; 

 alluding to the effects of the original plant. 

 Nat. Orel. Euphorbiacece. 



H. Mancinella, the only species is an ever- 

 green one that grows to an immense size, 

 and is very common in many of the West 

 Indian Islands and in Venezuela and Panama, 

 usually growing on sandy sea shores. The 

 violent nature of the juice of the Man- 

 chineel tree has given rise, in the western 

 hemisphere, to nearly as wonderful stories as 

 those associated with the Upas tree in the 

 eastern. 



The fruit is beautiful, resembling an apple, 

 but is a virulent poison. The whole tree 

 abounds with a white milky juice, which is 

 also of an acrid noxious quality. If a single 

 drop of this juice drops on the skin, it causes 



