AND GENERAL HOBTICULTUBE. 



387 



BUT 



the best examples are those that show the 

 least the mark of the workman's tools. Its 

 disposition also is a matter of good taste, few 

 suitable positions for it being found on the 

 lawn or in the highly-kept flower garden near 

 the house, but for the most part in nooks and 

 corners of shrubberies, etc. Kustic fences, 

 bridges and gates are often used in situations 

 cut off from the more cultivated grounds, or 

 as an introduction to the borders of woods or 

 the rock-garden. A few rustic arches at in- 

 tervals, covered with Honeysuckles, Boses, 

 Clerr'atip, Jasmine, etc., forming a vista at 

 the end of which is a rustic summer-house, its 

 porch and veranda covered with Clematis and 

 other climbers, are most fitting accompani- 

 ments to the rock-garden, and add greatly to 

 its appearance and attractiveness. 



In places where there is a large expanse of 

 lawn, with glades of turf and spreading trees 

 and masses of shrubbery, rustic beds, formed 

 like baskets, vases, or pyramids, are pretty 

 objects if placed with judgment, and are very 

 effective if associated with Ampelopsis, Ivy 

 or Ferns. Kustic chairs are, as a rule, more 

 picturesque than useful, and should be used 

 only when apparently needed. 



Ru'ta. Bue. From the Greek Rule, from ruo, 

 to flow; probably some reputed medicinal 

 qualities of the plant. Nat. Ord. Rutacece. 



A genus of about forty species of hardy or 

 half-hardy strong-smelling perennial herbs or 

 shrubs, natives of western and central Asia 

 and southern Europe. Few of the species are 

 of any horticultural value. R. graveolens is 

 a well-known glaucous-leaved plant, having 

 a very unpleasant smell and a bitter taste. 

 The leaves are nearly blue, and from their 

 peculiar color sometimes produce a good 

 effect in a shrubbery. The flowers are yel- 

 lowish. 



Ruta Baga. The Swedish Turnip. Brassica 

 campestris, var. Ruta Baga. See Turnip. 



Ruta'ceae. A large order of trees, shrubs, or 

 rarely herbs, always more or less marked 

 with glandular dots, especially on the foliage, 

 and often strongly scented. In its geograph- 

 ical range, the order extends over the tropi- 

 cal, sub-tropical and temperate regions of the 

 globe, it is, however, scarce in tropical Africa 

 and disappears entirely in cold climates and 

 at great elevations. Citrus (sub-order Auran- 



SAB 



tiece) is- the most celebrated genus on account 

 of its fruits, Orange, Lemon, Lime, etc. .from 

 the flowers of which a volatile oil is obtained, 

 which is the basis of Eau de Cologne. The 

 berries of some other genera from China and 

 Japan are edible. Ruta graveolens is grown 

 in most gardens and is remarkable for its 

 strong smell and acrid taste. The order con- 

 sists of about eighty genera, including many 

 well-known flowering plants, such as Correa, 

 Crowea, Citrus, Diosma, Choysia, etc., and 

 over six hundred species. 



Rutilans. Deep red, with a metallic lustre. 



Ruy'schia. Named in honor of Fred. Buysch, 

 once Professor of Botany at Amsterdam. 

 Nat. Ord. MarcgraaviaceoB. 



A genus of about eight species of tropical 

 American epiphytal or climbing shrubs, which 

 have thick, quite entire leaves, and terminal, 

 very often long, racemes of flowers. R. Clu- 

 sicefolia, the only introduced species, is an in- 

 teresting and desirable plant-stove, shrubby 

 plant, with alternate, thick, shining leaves and 

 long, many-flowered, terminal racemes, of pur- 

 ple flowers with scarlet bracts, dotted with red. 

 It was introduced from the Caribbee Islands in 

 1823, and is increased by cuttings of the ripen- 

 ed wood. 



Rya'nia. Named after John Byan, M. D., a 

 correspondent of Vahl. Nat. Ord. Bixinacece. 

 A genus of stellately pubescent trees, na- 

 tives of tropical America. R. speciosa, the 

 only introduced species, forms a beautiful 

 tree with large, showy, cream-colored flowers. 

 It is increased by cuttings of the ripened wood, 

 and was introduced from the West Indies in 

 1823. 



Rye. See Secale. 



Rye Grass. The common name for Lolium 

 perenne. 



Rye, Wild. The genus Elymus. 



Rysso'pterys. From ryssos, wrinkled, and 

 pteris, a wing ; alluding to the form of the 

 wing of the fruit. Nat. Ord. Malpighiacece. 



A genus of slender, twining, stove or green- 

 house plants, natives of the Indian Archipel- 

 ago and Australia. P. microstema, the only spe- 

 cies yet introduced, is an interesting climber, 

 introduced from Java in 1820. 



s. 



s 



a'bal. Derivation of name unknown ; sup- 

 posed to be the South American name of 

 one of the species. Nat. Ord. Palmacece. 



This interesting genus of Palms has three 

 species common to the marshy districts of the 

 southern coast, from North Carolina to Flor- 

 ida, which are popularly known as the Pal- 

 metto, the emblem on the seal of South Caro- 

 lina. The most conspicuous of the species is 

 S. Palmetto, indigenous to North Carolina and 

 southward. It attains a height of fifty feet, 

 with a diameter of twelve to fifteen inches. 



The timber is said to be valuable in ship- 

 building, being indestructible in salt water, 

 and not liable to the attack of the ship-worm. 

 The leaves are from five to six feet long and 

 are used in the manufacture of hats (Palm 

 leaf), baskets and mats, and various other 

 purposes of domestic economy. This species 

 is also called Cabbage Palm, the young, unex- 

 panded leaves constituting one of the most 

 delicious vegetables of the table. The Saw 

 Palmetto is S. serrulata (syn. Serenoa serru- 

 lata), and the Dwarf Palmetto is S. Adansonii. 



