Hudsonia 



( 428 



Humulus 



or intermediate house treatment. As several 

 species emit roots from the stem, after the manner 

 of Ivy, they are well adapted for covering dump 

 walls, or for growing .on dead Tree Fern stems. 

 Some species may be grown on wires running 

 Along the roof, and others again are quite at home 

 trained to wood or wire trellises. The pretty bella 

 should have baskets. 



Propagation. By cuttings 4" long, taken off in 

 spring or summer, and inserted in pots of sandy 

 soil plunged in a warm propagating case. Graft- 

 ing weak-growing species on to strong ones is 

 sometimes done, but own-root plants are the best. 



Soil. Fibrous peat three parts, fibrous loam one 

 part, some small pieces of charcoal and sandstone, 

 together with a good proportion of rough sand. 

 The compost should not be broken up very fine. 



Other Cultural Points. Thorough drainage is 

 essential to success, so that surplus water may 

 be able to run quickly away, stagnant water being 

 very harmful. When growth is active shoots 

 should be kept tied in position, not allowing 

 them to become entangled. Pruning consists 

 chiefly of thinning the shoots when the}' become 

 crowded, but the old flowering stems should not 

 be cut away. The most troublesome insect pest 

 is mealy bug ; this may be kept under by sponging. 

 The most useful species is, perhaps, carnosa, and 

 this can be grown fairly well in an ordinary 

 greenhouse. It is popularly known as the Honey 

 Plant or Wax Flower. It should be kept dry in 

 winter. 



Principal Species : 

 australis, 4', Oct., wh. , variegata. 



tinged pk. cumiugiana, 3', sum., 



T^ella, 2' to 3', sum., wh., grn., yel., pur. centre. 



crim. centre (*//. Pax- Griffithii, 10', Jy.,ro. red. 



toiii). imperialis, 8', sum., red, 



carnosa,' 12', ?um., pk., br., largest of all. 



wh. (xecp. 427). lacuuosa, 4', spr., yel. 



Other Species : 

 ciniiamomifolia, 10', Jy., lineoris, 4', sum., wh. 



yel., grn. multiflora, 8', sum., wh., 



globulosa, 8', sum., car. yel. 



Paxtoui (:~ce bella). 



HUDSONIA. 



Hardy evergreen shrubs (oiW, CistineaV), char- 

 acterised by minute, Heath-like leaves and yellow 

 flowers. Propagation, by cuttings. Soil, sandy 

 peat, or peat and loam. 



Principal Species : 

 ericoides, 1', sum. tomentosa, 1', sum. 



HUMBLE BEE. 



A popular name used for Bombus terrestris and 

 other species. Bees are very useful to the gardener, 

 as they are instrumental, when searching for honey, 

 in pollinating many flowers which would otherwise 

 have little chance of producing fertile seeds. The 

 Hed Clover is dependent almost entirely on the 

 bee for fertilisation. In a few instances the bee 

 shirks the work of pollinating by boring a hole 

 at the base of the flower, and obtaining the nectar 

 from the outside. 



HUMEA. 



Description. There are four species of herbs 

 and sub-shrubs in this genus (ord. Composite), all 



HucMebemj (see (iaylu$sacia). 



Hiici/elia (see Gilia). 



Humata (see Davallia). 



Humble Plant (see Mimosa jmdica). 



natives of Australia, but the only one that is in 

 general cultivation is the popular elegans, so much 

 in request for greenhouse and conservatory decora- 

 tion, and for sub-tropical gardening. The plant is 

 a biennial, and sowing annually must be adopted, 

 as a constant supply of young plants is necessary. 



Propagation. By seeds, sown about the middle 

 of July, in well-drained pans of light, sandy soil, 

 covered slightly, a sheet of glass placed over each 

 pan, and the latter cpnsigned to a cold frame and 

 kept moist and shaded. Under thes-e conditions 

 germination is "fairly rapid, and the young plants 

 are strong and healthy. 



Soil. Loam two parts, old Mushroom bed 

 manure rubbed through a ^" sieve one part, sharp 

 tand one-sixth, and a little charcoal. 



Other Cultural Points. Humeas are rather diffi- 

 cult subjects to grow, although their beauty fully 

 compensates for any extra trouble they may give. 

 Many people lose their plants in the winter through 

 keeping them too moist at the root, and syringing 

 them. They should o. ly be syringed when 

 approaching the adult stage, and in warm weather, 

 otherwise they turn yellow and die. From the 

 seedling stage into a 3" pot, and from the latter 

 into a 4j", the second shift to be given not later 

 than the middle of September, is the best routine 

 to follow. During the winter keep the plants in a 

 warm pit, near the glass, and give them but little 

 water. In spring, when they begin to stsirt away 

 freely again, they may be potted into 9" or 10" 

 pots, and grown in a warm house until the end of 

 May. Then, if they are destined for outdoors, 

 they may be hardened off, and planted out about 

 the middle of June. For pot culture 9" or 10" 

 pots will be quite large enough. Staking is 

 especially necessary for the outdoor plants, as 

 they offer a good deal of resistance to the wind. 

 Vaporising or fumigating must be practised to 

 keep down green fly, which is very troublesome on 

 indoor plants. 



Principal Species and Variety: 



elegans, .V to 7', Jy., crim. There is a form 



Oct., grn., br., red, pk., which grows li' high. 



alba, wh, 



HUMULUS. 



Economically, the genus Humulus (urd. Urtica- 

 cese) is a very important one, for to it belong the 

 brewers' Hops. Botanicatly, the genus is a small 

 one, there being but two species, both herba- 

 ceous perennials. Propagation, by division of the 

 roots in spring, occasionally by seeds. Hops need 

 a deep, rich soil, as they are gross feeders, 

 and this applies equally to japonicus and its 

 golden variety as to Lupulus. For covering wire 

 or wooden arches and trellises japonicus is a 

 capital subject, and does almost as well in town as 

 in country gardens. Lupulus, too, is very orna- 

 mental, especially when in fruit, and is worth 

 growing as a decorative subject alone. The best 

 method of training is to allow the shoots to twine 

 up strings fastened to supports above and to pegs 

 driven (irmly into the ground. The young sterns, 

 with I heir leaves blanched, make an excellent 

 vegetable when cooked like Asparagus. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 

 japonicus, the Japanese lus of Thuubers). May 



Hop. A handsome be treated as an annual 



twiner, suitable for and raised from seeds, 



covering arbours, hdy., aureus.agoldenfoliaged 

 foliage gru. (SI/H. Lup'u- var., but liable to maka 



