Skirret 



( 340 ) 



Smeathmannia 



Principal Species and Varieties : 

 Fortunei, 1' to 3', spr., grantissima of gardens 

 greenish wh., buds intermedia of Carriere, 

 tinted red (syws.japonica oblata var. ovata o: 

 ofgardensaudj5o<aicai Carriere, oblata var. 

 Magazine 4719 [not Veitchii of Carriere, anc 

 Thunberg] and rubella Rogersii of gardens, 

 of Carriere). Laureola, 4', spr., pale 

 [aponica, 3' to 4', spr., yel.; citron scented 

 wh. (syns. Foremanni (tyns. Laureola fra- 

 of gardens and oblata of grans of Roem. , and Li- 

 Moore). Vars. are fra- monia Laureola oi 

 grans of Carriere, fra- Wall). 



oblata (tee japonica). 



SKIRRET. 



This rather uncommon vegetable (Slum, or 

 Pimpinella, Sisarum, ord. Umbelliferas) has white, 

 fleshy, forking roots, which may be cooked in 

 the same fashion as Salsafy. Propagation, by 

 cuttings of the side shoots in spring, as with 

 Seakale, or by seeds sown in drills 1' apart 

 in early April. The seedlings are subsequently 

 thinned to 6" apart ; this distance will also 

 do for the root cuttings. A light, fairly rich 

 soil, but not recently and heavily manured, is 

 suitable. The roots are fit for lifting in Sep- 

 tember, and they may be dug up as required, or 

 the whole crop lifted and stored under cover 

 as with "roots" generally. 



SLIP. 



The term " slip " is rather loosely applied by 

 the gardener. As commonly employed it is 

 synonymous with cutting (which ten). It is 

 also, intended to mean a shoot pulled off, and 

 which, although not pared like a cutting, is 

 nevertheless inserted to make roots. Strictly 

 speaking, a slip is a shoot that has been 

 pulled from the parent plant and has a few 

 roots attached. Thus, when perennial herbaceous 

 Lobelias are lifted in autumn, started under glass 

 in spring, and the shoots pulled apart and potted 

 up, each of these shoots is a slip. The common 

 Box may be readily increased by slips. 



SLOANEA. 



Stove trees (ord. TiliacejE). Propagation, by cut- 

 tings of ripe shoots, in sanrl, under a bell-glass, with 

 bottom heat. Soil, loam and sandy peat in equal parts. 



Principal Species : 

 dentata, 50', Aug., Nov., sinemariensis, 50', sum., 



St., wh., large. st., wh., small. 



SLUGS. 



Molluscs, of which several genera are plentifully 

 represented in British gardens. The following is a 

 list of some of the most common and destructive 

 species : 



Aripn ater, affects road- Limax maximus, the 

 Rides and waste places, largest, 4" to 6" long 



blk., reddish blk. Black spotted blk. 



SIu . s - agrestis. Field Slug 



norteusis, smaller, Arborum. Tree Slug 



striped grey. Garden flavus. Yellow Slug 



N "g- Sowerbii. Keeled Slug. 



Skinnera (gee Fuchsia). 



Skinncria (sue Ipomoaa). 



Skull-cap (see Sctitellaria). 



Skunk Cabbage (fymplocarpusfa-tidus). 



Sleepy Disease (sec Tomato). 



Slippermort (see Calceolaria). 



Slue (see Pntniis spinota). 



Slow Mat I'll Tree (Carey a arborea). 



In all the species of Limax and Arion the body 

 is apparently naked, the shell being reduced to the 

 swollen "mantle" in front. The tongue is used 

 for cutting the food, the horny teeth for masticat- 

 ing it. 



The ravages of slugs amongst almost all 

 sections of garden plants are too well known. 

 The plants they are attacking may be examined 

 carefully by lamp light, for the pests are 

 chiefly night feeders. Or traps of Cabbage and 

 Lettuce leaves or pieces of Apple or Potato 

 may be laid and examined, also by night. When 

 the pests are caught they may be crushed under 

 the foot or dropped into hot brine, gas water, 

 or quicklime. If quicklime is used, it, with 

 the slugs, should be consigned to the fire directly 

 the collection has been finished, for the slugs, if 

 left in the lime, simply slough off their outer skin 

 and crawl off apparently little the worse. Common 

 salt is useful, but its acridity renders it impossible 

 to bring it into close contact with the plants in any 

 quantity. Dusting seedlings with air-slaked lime, 

 giving just enough to whiten the leaves and the 

 ground immediately surrounding, is to be recom- 

 mended. Repeated applications may be made 

 without fear of damaging the plants." Soot em- 

 ployed in the same way is good, but not so good 

 as lime ; still, a ring of soot round a choice plant is. 

 often an effectual bar to the attentions of slugs. 

 Hand-picking on heavy soil in wet weather is 

 hazardous, for the trampling does the land almost 

 as much harm as the slugs would do to the plants. 

 A ring of notched zinc, or of woven brass wire 

 such as is used in fine sieves, is the best for choice 

 plants. 



Where slugs make a set at fruit trees a horse- 

 hair rope twisted about the stem will prevent their 

 ascent, or the ring of soot or lime may be utilised. 



SLUGWORMS. 



These are the larvse of Sawflies, belonging to the 

 genus Eriocampa, and the name is due to their 

 slug-like appearance and behaviour. These larvaa 

 are covered with a powdery or slimy secretion 

 which varies in colour from white to black and 

 yellow. The insects are small, black, and glossy. 

 The principal species are annulipes, leaves of the 

 Oak, Lime, Willow, and Birch ; limacina (Selandria 

 Cerasi), Cherries, Pears, and Quinces ; ovata, Alder ; 

 and Rosas, Roses. Limacina and Rosa; are the two- 

 most troublesome. The former is single-brooded in 

 this country, double-brooded in America. The 

 larvae are full fed by the end of June or the 

 beginning of July. Dusting with freshly slaked 

 lime and spraying with Paris Green are the two 

 best remedies. Lime water 15 gallons and soft 

 soap 1 Ib. form an excellent spraying mixture. The 

 pupse may be thinned down in autumn and winter 

 by removing the top 4" of soil beneath the attacked 

 fruit trees and burning it. 



SMALL TORTOISESHELL. 



This handsome and bright-lined butterfly (Va- 

 icssa polychloros) is occasionally troublesome to 

 the fruit grower, but it is too scarce to do a great 

 leal of damage. 



SMEATHMANNIA. 



Six species of beautiful stove shrubs (iml. 

 assiflorere), few of which are grown. Propagation, 

 v cuttings of half-ripened shoots under a glass in 



Smallrecd (nee Calainayrostis). 



