Witch Knots 



( 448 ) 



Woodlice 



The shoots may be spurred back on large plants. 

 Wistarias may also be grown in pots for forcing. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 

 chiiiensis, rambler, My., macrobotrys, wh., bl., 



Je., mauve (.-<//.*. sin- pur. 



eiisis and Glycine chin- - variegata, Ivs. varie- 



ensis or siiiensis). gated. 



Chinese Kidney Bean multijuga, sum., lil. pur., 



Tree. very long racemes (syn. 



alba, wh., sweet. grandiflora). 



rlore pleno, double. siuensis (tie chinensis). 



Other Species and Varieties : 



brachybotrys, 5', Ap., vio. magnifica, bl., spotted 



pur. yel. 



frutescens, 10', Ap., My., purpurea, vio. pur. 



shr. (x//s. Glycine frut- japouica, Jy., Aug., shr. , 



escens). wh. (syn. Milletia 



alba, wh. japoniea). 



backhousiana, vio. 



WITCH KNOTS OP WITCHES' 

 BROOMS. 



Carious-looking bundles of twigs, resembling 

 loosely built rooks' nests, that are to be seen 

 occasionally on Beech, Birch, Bullace, and Horn- 

 beam trees. Upon examination, the twigs are seen 

 to be swollen and distorted, and the leaves they 

 bear are of a sickly yellow green. The popular 

 names of Witch Knots and Witches' Brooms are 

 probably due to local attempts to ascribe the 

 formation of these clusters to some uncanny 

 agency. Search has revealed that they are brought 

 about in some trees by low Fungi (Ascomycetes), 

 and in others by the action of Gall Mites (Phy- 

 topti). The so-called true Witch Knots are, 

 however, due to Fungi. Tims, Exoascus turgidus 

 affects the Birch, E. Carpini the Hornbeam, and 

 E. Insititise the Bullace. Other species, or modifi- 

 cations of these, are to be found on Poplars, 

 Alders, Elms, and Cherries, producing distorted 

 leaves. Abies pectinata, the Silver Fir, occasionally 

 bears a Witch Knot. This arises from a swelling 

 of the central stem, or one of the larger branches, 

 and from this tumour a number of short, brittle 

 branches proceed, the "needles" being short, 

 swollen, and bright green in colour. As in the 

 case of deciduous trees, therefore, the Witch Knot 

 is easy of discernment. jEcidium elatinum is the 

 name of the Fungus which produces this condition 

 of things in the Silver Fir. 



Witli regard to remedies, the excision of the 

 affected parts is the only treatment ; but, although 

 the presence of Witch Knots indicates a patho- 

 logical condition, the tree, beyond being a little 

 stunted in growth, does not seem to suffer much. 

 All parts cut out should be burned, to prevent the 

 spreading of the spores. 



WITLOEF, OP WITLOOF. 



Under this title a strong growing variety of 

 Cichorium Intybus is cultivated largely in France 

 anil Belgium, and to a lesser degree in this country, 

 for salads. The forced and blanched stems and 

 leaves are eaten. (For methods of culture and 

 forcing, see CHICORY.) 



Witch Elm (Ulmiis glabra montana). 



WiMirs' Thimble (see Silene iiiaritima). 



Witch Hotel (see Hamamelis). 



Withe Rod, American ( Vibnrnvm niidwu). 



Withy (Salix f rat/His). 



Woad, Dyer's (Ixatis tinctoria). 



Woad, Waxen (Genista tinetoria). 



Wood, Wild (Reseda Luteola}. 



WITSENIA. 



Ornamental, evergreen greenhouse plants (prd. 

 Iridese). Propagation, by seeds, division and cut- 

 tings. Soil, sandy peat and loam, in equal parts. 



Only Species : 

 corymbosa, 3', Je., pale maura, 4', Dec., bl., blk., 



bl. (correctly Aristea br. 



corymbosa). 



WITTSTEINIA. 



Greenhouse shrubs (prd. Vacciniacea?), of pros- 

 trate habit. Culture as for Erica (which nee). The 

 only species is vacciniacea, 6", autumn, red or 

 greenish yel. 



WOOD ASHES. 



Pure wood ashes, as well as the remains of 

 quickly burned clippings of garden refuse, are 

 valuable to the gardener by reason of their fertilis- 

 ing properties. They contain from four to eight, 

 or even nine, per cent, of potash, and from one to 

 two per cent, of phosphoric acid. Wood ashes 

 can scarcely be wrongly used in the garden, but 

 they are of the greatest value for Leguminous 

 crops, lawns, and Potatoes. It is not, however, 

 easy to obtain pure wood ashes, except in the 

 neighbourhood of woods and forests, consequently 

 gardeners now largely use Kainit when a potassic 

 manure is required. Crops that are liable to have 

 their leaves attacked and crippled by insects may 

 be preserved from their enemies by occasional 

 dustings with wood ashes early in the morning. 

 Turnips especially benefit from such applications. 

 Wood ashes have also another value ; they absorb 

 ammonia, and may thus be utilised for surfacing 

 beds of fermenting manure, and for mixing with 

 urine. 



WOODFORDIA. 



Stove shrubs (nrd. Lythraricip). Propagation, by 

 cuttings in sandy peat, beneath a bell-glass, ove'r 

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

 with sand. 



Only Species : 



floribunda, 3', My., sc. (si/ns. tomentosa, Grislea 

 tomentosa of Botanical Magazine 190G, and Ly- 

 thrum fruticosum). 



WOODLICE. 



These little scavengers, known also as Wood 

 Bugs and Slaters, are well known by reason of their 

 greyish colour, and the habit they have of rolling 

 themselves into a ball when alarmed. To the 

 Cucumber and Mushroom grower wood! ice 

 (Oniscus Armadillo) are great pests, as they soon 

 render the produce unsaleable, but where Cucum- 

 bers are grown in houses on trellises the fruits 



Wolf liernj (Si/mphoriearpiis occidental is}. 



Wolf Chop (Mi-sembrt/anthemum liipinum). 



Wolf's liane (see Aeonitum}. 



Wolf s Bane, Winter (see Eranthis). 



Wolf's Claw (Li/c(i])odiiin> claratum.) 



Wolf's Milk (see Knplinrbia). 



Wollastonifi (see Wedelia). 



Woman's Cap Orchid (sie T/i/'h/mitra). 



Woodbine (see Lonicera Periclymenum). 



Woodbine, American (see Ampelopsis 



folin). 



Wood Fern (see Poli/podium n/lf/are). 

 Wood Lily (sec J'yrola and Trillium}. 



