AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



397 



SAW 



stables, or other liquids containing ammonia, 

 and made up into a compost with farm-yard 

 manure, earth, or other materials before ap- 

 plication. 



Saw-wort. A common name for certain spe- 

 cies of Saussurea and Serratula. 



Saxatilis. Growing on rocks or stones. 



Saxego'thea. This genus of Coniferce takes its 

 name from a German title of the late Prince 

 Consort, of England. S. Conspicua, the only 

 species, is a native of Patagonia, where it 

 forms a small tree, having the appearance of 

 a Yew, though its botanical relationship is 

 with the Juniper. Introduced in 1846. 



Saxi'fraga. Saxifrage. From saxum, a stone, 

 and frango, to break ; its reputed medicinal 

 qualities in calculus. Nat. Ord. Saxifra- 

 gacece. 



In this very extensive genus, numbering 

 more than a hundred and fifty species, we 

 have some very beautiful, hardy perennials, 

 admirably suited for rock-work or any rough 

 borders where it is difficult to make most 

 plants grow. Unfortunately, many of the most 

 beautiful and desirable species for the rock- 

 garden are not suited for this climate and 

 refuse to stand our hot, dry summers. The 

 large, leathery-leaved group, of which the Si- 

 berian S. crassifolia is the best known, thrives 

 well, especially if slightly protected in winter. 

 S. cordifolia, with large trusses of rose-colored 

 flowers and glossy leaves, much resembles it. 

 S. peltata, a gigantic species of the Sierra 

 Nevada, bears its large corymbs of pale pink 

 flowers on tall stalks above the huge, shield- 

 like leaves. Two varieties of this species 

 occur, one found at an elevation of six to 

 seven thousand feet, the other growing in and 

 along streams through the lower and warmer 

 portions of California. The former is evi- 

 dently much hardier, and also more effective, 

 its leaves, in its native habitat, often attaining 

 a diameter of from three to four feet. S. 

 Cotyledon pyramidalis, known as the pyramidal 

 Saxifrage, is a great favorite with the London 

 market florists. It belongs to that large sec- 

 tion having fleshy-incrusted leaves, arranged 

 in symmetrical rosettes, and bears a flower- 

 spike sixteen to twenty-four inches high, 

 covered with thousands of white flowers 

 about half an inch across, remaining in per- 

 fection for several weeks. It is a great 

 favorite and is much used for window-boxes, 

 rustic stands, etc., and is rapidly increased by 

 offsets. S. sarmentosa, a native of China, is a 

 desirable plant for hanging baskets or other 

 rustic designs. It is a pretty plant when in 

 flower and is popularly known as Strawberry- 

 Geranium, Beef-steak Plant, and several other 

 local names without much significance. S. 

 sarmentosa tricolor, a variety introduced in 

 1870, has beautiful variegated white and rose- 

 colored markings on the leaves, but is apt to 

 run back to the original species. There are 

 several very pretty species of Saxifraga in our 

 woods and waste places, possessing more 

 real beauty than some more sought after. All 

 the species grow with very little care and 

 attention, requiring only a sandy, moist, and 

 shady situation. Propagated from runners 

 and division. 



Saxifraga'ceae. A natural order of trees, shrubs, 

 or herbs of variable habit, natives gener- 



SCA 



ally of temperate and frigid regions. Many 

 of the species are of great beauty, though their 

 useful properties are unimportant. The 

 limits of the order are as yet far from settled. 

 Hooker and Bentham divide it into six 

 tribes or sub-genera Cunoniece, Escalloniece, 

 Francoece, Hydrangea, Ribesiece, and Saxi- 

 fragecB proper. It includes about seventy- 

 five genera, and over five hundred species. 

 Good examples are Astilbe, Chrysosplenium, 

 Hydrangea, Heuchera, Escallonia, Ribes, and 

 Saxifraga. 



Saxifrage. The genus Saxifraga, which see. 



Saxifrage. Burnet. Pimpenella Saxifraga. 



Saxifrage. Golden. The genus Chrysosplenium. 



Saxifrage. Meadow. Saxifraga granulata, and 

 Silaus pratensis. 



Scabio'sa. Scabious, Mourning Bride. From 

 scabies, the itch ; the common kind is said to 

 cure that disorder. Nat. Ord. Dipsacacece. 



A small genus of hardy, annual and herbace-- 

 ous perennials, mostly natives of Europe and 

 the East Indies. S. atropurpurea, is the well- 

 known Mourning Bride. All the species 

 grow freely in the garden, and are grown from 

 seeds sown in early spring. The German 

 florists have succeeded in raising some dwarf 

 varieties, with very handsome double flowers, 

 in a variety of colors, from nearly pure white 

 to dark purple maroon. It is a useful plant 

 for summer flowers. 



Scabious. The genus Scabiosa. 

 Blue. Scabiosa succisa. 

 Caucasian. Scabiosa Caucasica. 

 Devil's Bit. Scabiosa succisa. 

 Field. Scabiosa arvensis. 

 Mt. Parnassus. Pterocephalus Parnassi. 

 Sheep's Bit. Jassione montana. 

 Sweet. Scabiosa atropurpurea. 



Scabrous. Rough with little asperities. 



Scae'vola. From Scceva, the left hand ; allud- 

 ing to the form of the corolla. Nat. Ord. 

 Goodeniacece. 



The greater number of the species of this 

 extensive genus are peculiar to Australia and 

 the Sandwich Islands. Two, however, are 

 found growing on the sea shores of tropical 

 Asia, western Africa, from Senegal to the 

 Cape of Good Hope, Mauritius and Madagas- 

 car, the West Indies, Mexico and the Pacific 

 Islands. S. Lobelia (called also S. Koznigii 

 and S. Taccada), the Malay Rice-paper Plant, 

 one of the widely dispersed species, is an 

 erect shrub from two to five feet high, with a 

 thick, succulent stem, full of pith when young, 

 but ultimately becoming hard and woody. 

 The pith of the young stems is beautifully 

 fine and white, and resembles that of the Rice- 

 paper Plant, with which it has been con- 

 founded ; but it is seldom obtainable in pieces 

 exceeding three-quarters of an inch in thick- 

 ness. It is much used by the Malays and 

 Siamese for making artificial flowers, small 

 figures, and other articles used as decorations 

 at feasts and festivals. 



Scalariform. Ladder-shaped ; the name of the 

 tubes of vascular tissue found in ferns. 



Scale Insects. See Insects. 



Scales. Small, rudimentary, close-pressed 

 leaves, resembling minute scales. 



Scallion. A common name for Allium Ascaloni- 

 cum Majus. The term is also applied to all 



