Gouania 



( 380 ) 



Graft 



use of cotton dates back for over 2,(>00 years, it 

 follows tliat Cotton plants have long been in cultiva- 

 tion, probably much longer than the time suggested. 

 Barbadense, herbaceum, and arboreum are the 

 principal cotton producers. Baibadense gives the 

 Sea Island Cotton. There are many varieties. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 

 arboreum, Jy., wh. and Hibiscus esculen- 



Bahma. An erect, ncurlj* tus. 



branchless plant. Prob- barbatlense, .V. Sep., ycl. 



ably a hybrid between herbaceum, 3' to 4', Jy., 



the Egyptian Cotton yel. (>/n. indicum). 



GOUANIA. 



Stove climbing shrubs (nrtl. Rhamnerc) of little 

 value horticulturally. Cuttings root quickly if 

 taken in spring, inserted in sand, plunged in 

 bottom heat in a propagator, and kept close for 

 three or four weeks. Soil, loam and peat in equal 

 parts, with sand. The Chaw-Stick of Jamaica 

 (domingensis) is the only species of note. 



Pill I'AllIXG THEKS Toll GKAFTINO. 



A, standard tree headed for grafting: o. stem; 6, 

 ni.iin limbs; c, brandies. B,. three-quarter stand- 

 ard headed : a, <it;:in ; e, main limbs or branches. 

 C, half standard : /. stem : g, branches. D, the 

 scions or grafts : h, scion cut Iroin the treo ; 

 /. scimis inserted in the soil to wait till graft- 

 ing time. .(S p. 381.) 



All tl;e plants are annuals, and if given favour- 

 able treatment are remarkable for their quickness 

 of growth. Many may be grown out of doors in 

 the summer, and if trained over trellises or up 

 walls, or over rustic tree stumps, as in the 

 Herbaceous Ground at Kew, make very effective 

 features of the summer garden. Others, such as 

 the Lagenarias and Luffas, have to be cultivated 

 in stove heat, and visitors to the Water Lily House 

 at Kew know how interesting and effective they 

 can be when trained to the roof, the quaintly 

 shaped fruits being allowed to hang down. 



Gourds are easy to grow. They need a light, rich 

 soil, such as that furnished by equal parts of 

 fibrous loam and leaf soil, with sand, and plenty of 

 heat in the earliest stages. This applies as well to 

 those that are destined to be planted outdoors as 

 to those which it is intended to grow under glass. 

 Plenty of water is needed at all times from the 

 time the seedling makes its appearance, until the 

 time when the haulm begins to die down. Liquid 

 manure is helpful, and necessary where the plants 

 are heavily cropped. Planting outdoors should 

 not. be atfe'mpted before the end of May, and 

 as a few degrees of frost would be fatal to the 

 plants it is well to be prepared with protective 

 material for at least a fortnight after that date 

 should the nights be cold. 



A Selection : 



Boulogne Grey, large, 



rind grn., lined grey, 



flesh yel., edible. 

 Chestnut Gourd, medium 



to small, rind brick 



red, flesh yel., sugary, 



edible. 

 Egg-shaped Gourd, large, 



skin hard, rod, trailer. . 

 Embroidered Warted, 



small, yd., warted, 



ornamental. 

 Hubbard Squash, grn., 



flesh yel., floury ami 



sugary, a good keeper, 



edible, much cultivated 



iu the United States. 



GOURD. 



The word "Gourd" is usually employed as 

 meaning .only the nfore or less ornamental fruits 

 which are seen at various horticultural shows 

 throughout, the country. Strictly, it includes all 

 the members of the Cucurbitaceai, to which belong 

 the Vegetable Marrow (Cucurbita Pepo ovifera), 

 the Melon (Cticumis Melo), and the Cucumber 

 (C. sativus). These are treated under their 

 respective headings. They do not, however, ex- 

 haust the -list of edible Gourds, for both in France 

 'and America many varieties are cultivated for food, 

 although they do not find favour in this country. 

 Most of these edible Gourds belong to three 

 'species of the genus Cucurbita, viz. maxima, 

 luoschata, and Pepo. To the first species belong 

 all varieties having cylindrical, unfurrowed stalks 

 and large, broad leaves, such as the Turk's Cap 

 Gourds ; to moschata belong the species and 

 varieties with channelled stalks and much lobed 

 leaves; whilst the Vegetable (Long and Custard) 

 Marrow may be taken as the type of the third 

 section. 



Large Yellow, very large, 

 has been grown to 

 JOO Ib. weight, edible. 



Ohio Squash, a good 

 keeper, edible. 



Ittd Etampes, medium, 

 ribbed, or. yel., a 

 favourite with Parisian 

 gardeners, edible. 



Summer Crookneck, 



small, yel., warted, 

 ornamental. 



Turk's Cap, grn., marbled 

 wh. and ycl., orna- 

 mental (syii. Turban 

 Pumpkin) . 



Yokohama Gourd, ribbed, 



blk., gru. 



GOVENIA. 



Terrestrial Orchids (ord. OrchidaceaV) requiring a 

 stove temperature. Very few of them are in 

 cultivation. Propagation, by dividing the roots 

 ! just before they start into growth in spring. 

 The divisions should be started in a close prop- 

 agating frame, but as soon as they have made 

 a little growth they may be removed to a shelf 

 near the glass in the Cattleya house. Soil, loam 

 and leaf mould in equal parts, with sand. Free 

 drainage is essential. 



Principal Species ; 

 Gardneri, 2', wh. 

 Other Species : 

 Aiidrieuxii, yel., spotted 

 pur., red. 



deliciosa, wh., spotted bf 

 utriculata, I',', Sep., \vh. 



GRAFT. 



A graft is a shoot taken from a plant whose good 

 qualities it is desired to perpetuate, or one which ior 

 various reasons is not altogether a success on its 

 own roots. i I The graft, or scion, will subsequently 

 become the leafy, flowering, and fruitful portion of 

 the plant, growing npon the stem and roots of 

 another, but nearly related, subject. 



