AND GENERAL HORTICULTURE. 



425 



SPA 



we were obliged to employ a number of boys 

 for weeks during the summer to shake off and 

 kill the Rose Slug, but now, hardly one of 

 these pests is seen. An examination of the 

 crop of a Sparrow killed in July showed that 

 it contained Rose Slugs, Green Fly, and the 

 seeds of Chickweed and other plants, proving 

 beyond question the fact that they are pro- 

 miscuous feeders. 



Sparti'na. Cord Grass. From spartine, a cord 

 made from broom. Nat. Ord. Graminacece. 



An extensive genus of perennial grasses, 

 common throughout North America, and some 

 parts of Europe. They chiefly inhabit wet or 

 marshy places. Some of the species furnish 

 a valuable fibre. 



Spa'rtium. Spanish Broom. From spartan, 

 cordage ; alluding to the flexible shoots. Nat. 

 Ord. Leguminosce. 



A small genus of hardy, deciduous shrubs, 

 inhabiting a greater portion of the Mediter- 

 ranean region. Some of the species have 

 been cultivated in the English gardens for 

 more than three hundred years. The growth 

 is like that of the common broom, but the 

 green polished twigs are terete and rush-like 

 instead of angular. The handsome yellow 

 pea-flowers, arranged in racemes at the ends 

 of the twigs, are highly perfumed and very 

 attractive to bees. A double-flowered variety 

 is in cultivation. A number of the species are 

 now referred to Genista and Cytisus. 



Spatala'nthus. From spatalos, delicate, and 

 anthos, a flower. Nat. Ord. Iridacece. 



A very rare and beautiful Cape bulb, allied to 

 Trichonema. There is but one species known, 

 and that is rare in its own country. The 

 flowers are red with a yellow and black star in 

 the centre. It may be grown in a frame, 

 or in pots in the green-house, requiring the 

 same culture as the Ixia. It was introduced 

 in 1825, and is propagated by offsets. This 

 genus is now included under Romulea by 

 many botanists. 



Spatha'ntheum. From spathe, a spathe, and 

 anthos, a flower ; the flowers are seated on the 

 midrib of the spathe. Nat. Ord. Aroidece. 

 . A small genus of tuberous-rooted perennials, 

 found in Africa and South America. 8. het- 

 erandrum, the only species in cultivation, is a 

 very singular plant producing a sol itary, bright- 

 green, fleshy, deeply pinnatifid leaf, one foot 

 long on a petiole two feet long. It was intro- 

 duced from Africa in 1876, and is propagated 

 by division of the tubers or by offsets. 



Spathe. A broad sheathing leaf enclosing 

 flowers arranged on a spadix, and guarding 

 them while young, as in most Palms, Arums, 

 etc. 



Spathe'lia. A genus of Simarubacece, compris- 

 ing three species of tall and showy evergreen 

 trees, natives of the West Indies. S. Simplex, 

 the May Pole, Mountain Green, or Mountain 

 Pride of the West Indies, has a tall, slender 

 stem, resembling that of a Palm, with red flow- 

 ers in panicles several feet long. It is the 

 only species introduced to cultivation, and is 

 propagated by cuttings. 



Spathiphy'llum. From spathe, a spathe, and 

 phyllon, a leaf ; alluding to the leaf-like spathe. 

 Nat. Ord. Aroideai. 



A genus comprising over twenty species of 

 stemless herbs, with sheathing, saggitate, 



SPE 



entire leaves, natives of tropical America. 

 Some of the smaller species such as S. candi- 

 dum, S. Patini and S.floribundum are useful 

 for decorative purposes, and form a very 

 effective contrast with Anthuriums, etc. They 

 require a moist atmosphere and an abun- 

 dance of water, and are increased by division 

 of the root-stock. 



Spatho'dea. From spathe, a spathe ; in reference 

 to the form of the calyx. Nat. Ord. Bigno- 

 niacece. 



A genus of very showy plants natives of 

 the East Indies, western Africa, Trinidad, 

 etc. They are closely allied to Bignonia and 

 require the same treatment as the stove- 

 house species of that genus. 



Spathoglo'ttis. From spathe, a spathe, and 

 glottis, a tongue. Nat. Ord. Orchidacece. 



A small genus of terrestrial Orchids, allied to 

 Bletia, natives of the East Indies, southern 

 China, the Malayan Archipelago and Aus- 

 tralia. They have generally yellow flowers, 

 many of the lately introduced species as S. 

 Vieliardii, S. Lobbii, S. Paciftca, etc., being 

 very interesting and desirable Orchids. 



Spa'thulate. Oblong ; with the lower end very 

 much attenuated, so that the whole resembles 

 a druggist's spatula. 



Spatter Dock. A common name for Nuphar 

 advena. 



Spawn. Mushroom. The vegetative part of a 

 Mushroom represented by the delicate white 

 down and strings or threads (mycelium) 

 growing among masses of decaying stable 

 manure, horse droppings, etc. In artificially 

 prepared spawn, the mycelium grows in firm 

 brick-shaped or loose masses, penetrating 

 into all parts of these, and filling them with 

 the white cells of which it is composed. If kept 

 dry, Mushroom spawn will keep good for years. 

 In England and France the preparation of 

 Mushroom spawn is quite a large industry, 

 large quantities being exported every year in 

 addition to the home consumption. Many 

 attempts have been made to prepare the 

 spawn of truffles, but they have as yet been 

 unsuccessful. The introduction of the spawn 

 of valuable varieties, will, we have no doubt, 

 some day, cause a considerable change in the 

 produce of a Mushroom bed. See Mushroom. 



Spear Grass. Various species of Agrostis. 



Spear Grass. New Zealand. See Aciphylla. 



Spearmint. See Mentha viridis. 



Spearwort. Ranunculus lingua. 



Species. " A species comprises all the individ- 

 ual plants which resemble each other suffi- 

 ciently to make us conclude that they are all, or 

 may have been all, descended from a common 

 parent. These individuals may often differ 

 from each other in many striking particulars, 

 such as the color of the flower, size of the leaf, 

 etc., but these particulars are such as experi- 

 ence teaches us are liable to vary in the seed- 

 lings raised from one individual." Bentham. 



Specula'ria. From the ancient name Speculum 

 Veneris, or Venus's Looking-Glass. Nat. Ord. 

 Campanulacea. 



A small genus of hardy annuals, formerly 

 included in Campanula. 8. speculum is a dis- 

 tinct and pretty species, with purplish-lilac 

 flowers, varying to rose-colored and white. 

 They are among the many old garden favorites 



