Rape 



( 262 ) 



Raphistemma 



depth of nearly 2', the fresh soil being allowed to 

 settle before planting. 



Planting. Many florists prefer to plant in the 

 middle of October, giving protection with litter in 

 winter, but unless a good deal of attention can be 

 given it is more prudent to defer the operation 

 until near the end of February. Draw lines about 

 6" apart and 2" deep, and put the tubers in these, 

 claws downwards, filling in with some sand before 

 covering with soil. Watering is necessary in dry 

 weather after the plants appear, but it should be 

 carefully done after the sun is off the beds. 



Shading. In order to have perfect blooms, and 

 to prolong their beauty, an awning may be put 

 over the bed, but this is unnecessary for flowers for 

 ordinary cutting purposes. 



Lifting. The tubers should be lifted when the 

 leaves turn yellow, and stored in a dry, cool place 

 in drawers or paper bags. 



Varieties. For garden decoration and cutting-, 

 the large but somewhat coarse French Ranuncu- 

 luses sold as asiaticus superbissimus are very 

 suitable. The Turban or Turkish and the Persian 

 Ranunculuses are, however, much more refined and 

 beautiful. Those who wish to have the best 

 flowers should purchase some of these and raise 

 others from seed, carefully selecting the best 

 shaped flowers with the finest colours. 



Selections : 



Persian. These are of the finest form and 

 colour : 



Bridesmaid, wh. . King of the Netherlands, 



Carmine, car. blk. 



Commodore Napier, Orange Brilliant, yel., 



lemon, pur. edge. centre blk. 



Cramoisie a Coaur Vert, Princess Victoria, ro., 



crim. sc., centre grn. centre grn. 



Fire King, sc. Queen Victoria, wh., 



Jaune Supreme, yel., spotted car. 



centre blk. Heine Vasty, lemon, ro. 



Sir Wm. Perm, wh., 

 edged cerise. 



Turban. Form like that of a Picony : 



Black, dark sc. Merveilleuse, or., flushed 



Carmine, car. yel. 



grandiflora, crim., striped Prince de Galitzin, yel. 



yel. Romano, sc. 



Hercules, wh. Seraphique, citron yel. 



Souci dore, coffee colour, 

 viridiflora, grn., sc. 



French Ramineulii&ei : 



These can be had in mixed or separate colours, 

 such as crimson rose, crimson scarlet, orange 

 scarlet, pale primrose, white, and yellow. Named 

 varieties are not much grown. 



RAPE. (BHASSICA NAPUS.) 



The edible-rooted Rape is occasionally seen in 

 gardens. The roots are about f " in diameter, long, 

 and white. Seed should be sown at the end of 

 January on soil which has not been recently 

 manured, otherwise the roots will fork badly, and 

 be nearly useless. The rows may be 1' apart, the 

 plants 10" asunder in the rows. The roots from 

 this sowing will be ready in May or early June. 

 Rape is occasionally sown for use as a small salad, 

 when young ; and is used for market to the exclu- 

 sion of Mustard, being cheaper. Rape dust, which 



liapatea (see Saxofrideriva snlieordata). 

 I/ape, Broom (sec Orobanche). 



has been recommended as a cure for wireworm, is 

 composed of the remains of the seed, dried and 

 powdered, after the expression of the oil. Its 

 value in combating wireworm is probably over- 

 rated. (For species, see BRASSICA.) 



RAPHANUS. 



A small genus (ord. Cruciferae) of hardy, annual 

 or biennial, branching herbs, with white, purplish, 

 or yellow flowers. (For cultivation, sec RADISH.) 



Principal Species and Variety : 



sativus, My., aim., wh., Raphanistrum. Com- 



vio. By some con- mon Garden Radish, 



sidered to be a var. of caudatus, sum., aun., 



pur. (syn. caudatus). 

 Other Species : 



maritimus, H' to3',bien., Raphanistrum, 1' to 2', 

 sum., yel.; British. Sea sum., aim., wh. to yel.; 

 Radish. British. Wild Radish. 



RAPHIA (*yn. METROXYLON of Sprengel). 



Stove Palms (ord. Palraas), with large pinnatisect 

 leaves, and bunches of fruits weighing from 200 Ib. 

 to 300 Ib. Propagation, by imported seeds, sown 

 in bottom heat. Soil, loam three parts, leaf soil 

 one part, and sand. 



Principal Species : 



pedunculate, Ivs. 50' to Raffia, or Raphia of 



60' long, fruits usually commerce, 



pyriform (syn. Ruffia). vinifera, trunk 0' to 8' 



Huffia or Raffia Palm. high, Ivs. 50' long, 



It gives that useful gar- nearly erect, spiny (syn. 



den tying material the tocdigera). Bamboo or 

 Wiue Palm. 



RAPHIOL.EPIS (.syn. KHAPIOLEPIS. 

 INDIAN HAWTHORN). 



Hardy or half-hardy evergreen shrubs (ord. 

 Rosacese). Japonica, though reputed hardy, should 

 be given the shelter of a south wall and covered 

 with mats during severe frost. Propagation, by 

 cuttings of the ripened shoots in sand under a 

 glass in a cold frame. Soil, fibrous loam and peat, 

 with sand. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 



indica, 4' to 8', sum., hlf- 

 hdy., wh. 



Pheostemon, wh., hr. 

 filaments (syn. indica of 

 Botanical Aegister 468). 



ruhra, red (syn. rubra 

 of liotnnical Register 

 1400). 



salicifolia, wh. (syn. 

 salicifolia of Botanical 

 Register 652). 



japonica, Je., hdy. shr., 

 wh., fragrant (si/ns. 

 integerrima. of gardens, 

 japonica integerrima of 

 Botanical Magazine 

 5510, Mertensii, ovata 

 of gardens not of 

 Briot., and Mespilus 

 Sieboldii). 



ovata, spr.,pk. wh.; there 

 is a variegated var. 

 Japanese Hawthorn. 



RAPHISTEMMA. 



Climbing stove shrubs or sub-shrubs (ord. As- 

 clepiadese) with white, rather large flowers and 

 membranous leaves. Neither of the species is com- 

 monly grown, but they answer to the same cultural 

 treatment as the Stephanotises. 



Principal Species : 



ciliatum (now Damia pulchellum, Jy., Ivs. 

 extensa). heart shaped. 



Ra/phidopKora (see Rhapliidophora~). 

 Rtijihidopliyllmn (see Sopubia). 

 Ilaspailia (see Polypoi/on). 



