Springtails 



( 357 



Stachytarpheta 



SPRINGTAILS. 



A popular name for some genera of insects 

 {Collembola) whose members have the power of 

 jumping. They are minute wingless insects, which 

 fi'cd upon animal and vegetable refuse, and are 

 usually to be found in damp, shady corners of the 

 garden. Sometimes they take possession of the 

 Mushroom house, but in no case do they work 

 appreciable harm. 



SPRUCE GALL APHIS. 



The young twigs of Spruce Firs, especially when 

 growing in thick plantations, often suffer from the 

 presence of a number of small galls, not unlike 

 miniature Pineapples in appearance. In colour 

 they may be red, yellow, or pale green, and may 

 vary from J" to 14" in length. When young they 

 are fleshy, but with age the scales composing them 

 open, and become hard and brown, in which 

 condition they will remain upon the trees for 

 years. These galls are the work of an aphis, 

 Chermes Abietis (sijn. Adelges Abietis), the im- 

 mediate producers of the galls being woolly, oval, 

 yellowish green, wingless, viviparous females. The 

 irritation is first set up by the puncture of the 

 insect's beak, and continued by the suction of the 

 numerous larvae. The larvoc pupate in the cavities 

 of the gall, and the winged females are found in 

 June and July ; the males are small, wingless, and 

 rare. Burning the young galls is the best remedy. 

 Exposure of the trees to air and light is an 

 important preventive measure, as is also the 

 draining of damp soils. (.Sir also CHERMES.) 



SPURRING. 



Cutting back side shoots of fruit and other 

 trees to within two or three buds of their origin. 

 Most fruit trees bear their fruit upon spurs, but in 

 some cases the supply 1 of natural spurs has to be 

 supplemented by others artificially induced, as in 

 the case of the Apricot or sweet Cherry. A spur 

 is really a short shoot bearing a number of buds, 

 and it is the aim of the fruit grower to ensure a 

 quantity of these spurs. It is necessary to check 

 the extension of the shoot in the summer by- 

 taking out the point, and it is frequently neces- 

 sary to pinch twice, sometimes thrice, during 

 the growing season. At the winter pruning the 

 real cutting back is given. In wall trees that have 

 been badly pruned for a series of years the spurs 

 become long and straggling. In this case they 

 may with advantage be shor-tened to some extent, 

 so as to bring them within the sheltering influence 

 of the wall. 



Spurring is a favourite method of pruning many 

 ornamental climbers, including Passifloras and 

 Boug^Invilleas, and not only is a better crop of 

 flowers obtained by this method, but the whole of 

 the room available is devoted to the young \Ood. 

 Some thinning of the young shoots is often needed 

 where the spurs are rat her close and carrying a lot 

 of bmls. 



H/>rne, Dovylas (see Psetidotsuga). 



K/iruee Fir (see Pioea). 



fipnire Hemlock (see Tstiya). 



Spiirgt Flax (see Da/plnu- Mi':i-reitm~). 



Spvrtje Laurel (see Daplinr Lavreola). 



Spunje Settle (J/itm/>iia iirens). 



Spurge Olive (C'nenriint trieoeevm and Daphne 



Mezeretim). 



Spj/rffrn-nrt (see Euphorbia). 

 Spur lew Violet (Viola hederaced). 



SPYRIDIUM. 



Greenhouse shrubs (on!. Khamneoe), few of 

 which are in cultivation ; probably globulosum is 

 the only one. It is of no value. 



SQUASH. 



This is a name given to different varieties of 

 edible Gourds, chiefly in the United States (see 

 GOURDS). 



STAAVIA. 



A genus of about half a dozen Heath-like shrubs 

 (ord. Bruniaceae), with heads of small flowers sur- 

 rounded by glossy bracts, and small leaves. Prop- 

 agation, by cuttings of the young growths under 3 

 bell-glass in sand. Soil, peat and sand. 



Principal Species : 



ciliata, 1J', Je., wh. radiata. 1', My., wh. (syii. 



glutinosa, 3', Ap. , wh. Bruuia radiata). 



(*//. Bruuia glutiuosu). 



STACHYS. (WouxDwoRT. HEDGE 



NETTLE.) 



An extensive genus of greenhouse or hardy 

 annual, biennial, or perennial herbs (ord. Labiatae), 

 of which comparatively few are worth growing in 

 the garden. Lanata is valued for its white, woolly 

 leaves. Tuberifera is the Chinese Artichoke (see 

 ARTICHOKE, CHINESE). Propagation, by seeds, 

 the perennials also by division, and the biennials 

 by cuttings. Common soil. 



Principal Species and Variety : 

 coccinea, 1' to 2', sum., lanata, \Y, Jy., hdy. 

 grh. or hlf-hdy. per., 

 sc. 



germanica, 1' to 3', Ap., 



hdy. per., pale pk. , wh. 



sibirica, pk. (lyu. si- 



birica). 



grandiflora, 1', My., hdy. 

 per., vio. (.^H. Betonica 

 grandiflora). 



Other Species and Varieties : 

 albicaulis, 2J', sum., hdy., chrysantha, 6" to 12', 



sum. , hdy. , yel. 

 densiflora, 1J', Je. , hdy. , 

 flesh (syns. incana 

 of Botanical ifai/minr 

 2125, and Betonica hir- 

 suta). 

 grandidentata, 2', sum., 



hdy. or hlf-hdy., vio. 

 iuflata, H', Jy.,hdy. sub- 

 shr. , red. 

 lavandulsefolia, 2', sum., 



Lamb's Ear. 



maweana, 1', Jy. , hlf- 

 hdy. , pale yel. , pur. 



tuberifera, 1', pk., seldom 

 flowers, tubers edible 

 (,/. affinis). Chinese 

 or Japanese Artichoke, 

 Crosnes. 



vio. 



alpina, 1' to 4', sum., 

 hdy., pur. 



intermedia, Ivs. more 

 wrinkled. 



angustifolia, 9", Jy. , hdy. 

 sub-shr. , pur. 



arenaria, Jy. , hdy., de- 

 cumbent, pur. 



aspera, 2' to 4', Jy., hdy., 

 pur. or red. 



Betonica, 6" to 24", Je., 

 hdy., reddish pur. (./" 

 Betonica orticin;ili- 

 Wdod Betony, Bishop 8 

 Wort. 



alba, wh. 



hdy. sub-shr. , rosy pur. 



nivea, 1', Jy., hdy. sub- 

 shr., wh. (syii. Betonica 

 nivea). 



sibinoa (tee germanica 

 var. ). 



(BASTARD 



STACHYTARPHETA. 



VERVAIN.) 



Stove annual or perennial herbs, shrubs, or sub- 

 shrubs (ord. Verbenacese), of which several are 

 desirable for the garden. Propagation, the annuals 



Ifynill, Roman (see Hyaeintfius romainix). 

 Squill (see Scilla). 



Squill, Mriprd (see Pusrltkinia irilloidcs). 

 !<'l\rinant (Andrnpoijon Hrhirnantlm). 

 fv/nirrrl-tiiil llrnss (SIT llnrdeum). 

 StachyelinjsHm (see 1'iptaflenia). 



