422 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



SOE 



at command of the department was little more 

 than half the amount present in the stalks. 

 The fourth column represents the results 

 attainable by the use of a mill that would 

 give 70 per cent, of juice from the sta-lks, a 

 result which is possible, and which is claimed 

 by manufacturers of mills. There is no doubt 

 that, when the present industry shall have 

 secured the employment of the capital and 

 scientific ability which have developed the 

 beet-sugar industry, even these results, which 

 may appear extravagant to many, will be 

 assured." There is much more of this report, 

 but so intimately connected with large tabu- 

 lar statements that the two could not be sep- 

 arated, and the tables are too large to be 

 transferred to these colums. We therefore 

 suggest to all engaged in the cultivation of 

 Sorghum to procure this report. It will be of 

 great assistance to them in helping to deter- 

 mine many points relating to culture and the 

 manufacture of syrup and sugar. 



Sori. The name given to the patches of spore 

 cases found on Ferns. 



Sorrel. See Rumex. 



Sorrel Tree. Oxydendron (Andromeda) arbo- 

 reum. 



SorreL Wood. See Oxalis Acetosella. 



Sorrowful Tree. A common name for Nyctan- 

 thes arbor-tristis. 



Soula'ngia. In honor of Soulange Bodin, an 

 eminent nurseryman near Paris. Nat. Ord. 

 Rhamnacece. 



A name proposed by Brogniart to separate 

 some species of Phillica as a distinct genus, 

 but the characters given have not proved suf- 

 ficiently constant for its adoption. 



Sour Gourd. A common name for Adansonia 

 digitata. 



Sour Gum Tree. See Nyasa. 



Sour Sop or Custard Apple. See Anona. 



South African Yellow Wood. Podo carpus 

 elongata. 



Southernwood. Artemesia Abrotanum. This 

 is an old, well-known plant, found in almost 

 every garden. It is grown for its medicinal 

 properties, which are somewhat similar to 

 wormwood. It may be easily propagated from 

 cuttings, which root very readily in early 

 summer and grow in any ordinary garden 

 soil. 



Sow-bread. See Cyclamen Europceum. 

 Sow-thistle. See Sonchus. 



Sowerbee'a. Named in honor of J. E. Sowerby, 

 an eminent botanical artist. Nat. Ord. Li- 

 liacece. 



A small genus of green-house, tufted, peren- 

 nial plants with fibrous roots, natives of 

 Australia. S. juncea and S. laxifolia are in 

 cultivation, but are only of botanical interest. 



Sowing. Is one of the operations of the gar- 

 den that it is easy to give instructions in ; and 

 if they are carefully followed, there need 

 never be failure. One of the most important 

 things is the condition of the soil, which 

 should be as thoroughly broken up and pul- 

 verized by plowing and harrowing, digging or 

 raking, as its nature will admit, care being 



SOW 



taken that it is worked when in that state, that 

 is, neither too dry nor too wet. If too dry, 

 particularly if the soil is of a clayey nature, it 

 cannot well be got in the proper friable condi- 

 tion without an unusual amount of labor; 

 and, on the other hand, if too wet, it clogs and 

 bakes, and becomes so hard that the air can- 

 not penetrate, leaving it in a condition from 

 which good results cannot be obtained. We 

 have seen stiff, clayey land that has shown 

 bad results for years after, by being plowed 

 and harrowed while too wet. Another condi- 

 tion of the soil, before sowing seeds, is to 

 have the surface as smooth and level as possi- 

 ble. Seeds can either be sown broadcast or in 

 drills, and for all garden operations the sow- 

 ing is mostly done in drills. If sowing such 

 vegetables as Parsnips, Onions, Beets or Car- 

 rots is to be done on a large scale, the use of 

 the Seed Drill (which see) will save seed and 

 labor ; but if for ordinary garden use, it had 

 better be done by hand. If only a small quan- 

 tity is wanted, the drills can be made with a 

 hoe ; but if larger, a simple implement known 

 as a Marker (which see) had better be used. 

 It is often given as a rule, that seeds should 

 be covered with soil only as deep as their own 

 bulk ; but this rule can hardly be followed in 

 our dry climate, as many kinds would dry up 

 or shrivel with such a slight covering. As an 

 example, Onion or Carrot seed should be cov- 

 ered from a half inch to an inch, while Beans 

 or Peas should be covered from two to three 

 inches. For the sowing of Flower seeds, see 

 "Propagation of Plants by Seeds." But the 

 most important matter of all in sowing seeds 

 in the open ground is, that they be properly 

 firmed in the soil. A simple way is to tread 

 the rows, after the seed is sown, with the feet. 

 This is detailed fully below. 



THE USE OF THE FEET IN PLANTING AND 

 SOWING. The following article was read by us 

 before the " Association of American Nur- 

 serymen," at Chicago, in 1883. As it is a mat- 

 ter of such vital importance, we make no 

 apology for its introduction : 



It may be useless to throw out any sugges- 

 tions in relation to horticultural operations to 

 such a body of practical men as is now before 

 me. Yet I candidly admit that, although I 

 have been extensively engaged in gardening 

 operations for over a quarter of a century, I 

 did not fully realize, until a few years ago, the 

 full importance of how indispensable it was to 

 use the feet in the operations of sowing and 

 planting. 



For some years past I have, in writing on 

 gardening matters, insisted upon the great 

 importance of "firming" the soil over the 

 seeds after sowing, especially when the soil 

 is dry, or likely to become so. I know of no 

 operation of more importance in either the 

 farm or garden, and I trust that what I am 

 about to say will be read and remembered by 

 every one not yet aware of the vast impor- 

 tance of the practice. I say "vast impor- 

 tance," for the loss to the agricultural and 

 horticultural community, from the habit of 

 loosely sowing seeds or planting plants in hot 

 and dry soils, is of a magnitude which few will 

 believe, until they have witnessed it ; and it is 

 a loss all the more to be regretted, when we 

 know that by "firming" the soil around the 

 seed or plant, there is, in most cases, a cer- 

 tain preventive. 



