192 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



HIP 



, a sensation like the touch of a hot iron, and 

 raises a blister on the part. The wood is 

 beautifully variegated with brown and white, 

 and is highly prized for furniture and orna- 

 ments. The workmen who fell the trees first 

 kindle a fire around the stem, by which 

 means the juice becomes so much thickened, 

 as not to flow out when wounds are made 

 with their axes. Whole woods on the sea 

 coast of Martinique hav.e been burnt in order 

 to clear the country ot such a dangerous 

 plant. One of the most dangerous properties 

 of this tree, is that of causing blindness, if by 

 chance the least drop of the milk, or the 

 smoke of the burning wood, comes in contact 

 with the eyes. Dr. Seaman states that at 

 Veraquas some of the ship's carpenters were 

 blinded for several days from the juice getting 

 into their eyes whilst cutting down the Man- 

 chineel trees, while he himself suffered tem- 

 porary loss of sight from merely gathering 

 specimens. 



Hippo'phse. Sea Buckthorn. Prom hippos, a 

 horse, and pho, to kill ; in reference to the 

 supposed poisonous qualities of the seeds. 

 Nat. Ord. ElcBagnacem. 



H. rhamnoides, is a strong-growing decidu- 

 ous shrub or low-growing tree, with small 

 foliage of a curious grey-green color, and 

 yellow, minute flowers, succeeded by bright 

 orange-colored berries. It is a native of the 

 east coast of Great Britain, and very suitable 

 for planting near the sea as a shelter. It 

 grows satisfactorily even in positions that 

 are occasionally drenched by the sea-spray. 

 When in fruit, it is a very ornamental shrub. 



Hippu'rua. Mare's Tail. From hippws, a mare, 

 and oura, a tali ; the stem resembles a mai-e's 

 tail, from the crowded whorls of very narrow, 

 hair-Uke leaves. ■ Nat. Ord. Haloragacem. 



A vei-y curious aquatic plant, found sparingly 

 in ponds and springs from New York to Ken- 

 tucky and northward. Scientists say the 

 plant absorbs a large quantity of inflammable 

 air, which assists in purifying the putrid air 

 of marshes. It is a favorite food of wild 

 ducks. 



Hirsute. Hairy; covered with somewhat soft 

 hairs. 



Hispid. Covered with Jong, stiff hairs. 



Hoary. Covered with white down. 



Hoary Pea. See Tephrosia. 



Hobble-bush. A common name for Viburnum 

 latanoides. 



Hoe. This consists of the "draw" and the 

 " push '■ or "scuffle " hoe. There are a great 

 many modifications of these. For deep hoe- 

 ing the steel-pronged draw hoe is the best 

 implement, being much preferable to the 

 blade draw hoe, as it not only pulverizes the 

 soil better, but its points penetrate the soil 

 easier, and the work is thus made much 

 lighter for the operator. The blade draw hoe 

 should never be used, except when the ground 

 is overgreen with weeds (a condition of 

 things which, if possible, should never be 

 allowed), or to draw eai-th up to plants, such 

 as Celery or Cabbages. After the ground is 

 new planted, before it is allowed to get hard, 

 the 'scuffle" or "push hoc' Is far more 

 effective than the draw hoe, particularly be- 

 tween rows ; nearly twice the amount of work 

 can be done than with the draw hoe, but of 



HOP 



course that is simply stirring the surface ; for 

 deep cultivation, the steel-pronged hoe is the 

 best implement. 



HofFma'nnia. A synonym of CampyUibotrya, 

 which see. 



Hog Plum. See Spondias. 



Hog-Tweed. A common name for Ambrosia 

 artemiscefolia. 



Hoi'tzia. A synonym of Laselia, which see. 



Ho'lcus. From hdko, to extract ; the original 

 plant was supposed to possess the power of 

 extracting thorns. Nat. Ord. Oraminaeece. 



A genus of grasses that have soft woolly 

 herbage, mostly natives of Great Britain, and 

 of but little value. H. lanatus is common in 

 our moist meadows, having become natural- 

 ized from Europe ; it is popularly known as 

 Velvet Grass. 



Holly. See Hex. 



Hollyhock. See AUhcea rosea. 



Holly, Sea. See Erygnium. 



Holy Ghost Plant. See Periateria electa. 



Holy Grass. A name applied to Hierodoa, a 

 genus of sweet-scented grasses, that are strewn 

 before the church doors on saints" days, in 

 the north of Europe. See Hierocloa. 



Holy Rose. A name given to the Eose of 

 Jericho, Anastatica. 



Holy Thistle. See Carduus. 



Holy Tree. A popular name for Melia Aze- 

 dci/rach. 



Homalome'na. From homalos, flat, and mene, 

 moon; a translation of the native name of 

 some of the species. Nat. Ord. Aroidece. 



A small genus of herbaceous plants, with 

 heart or arrow-shaped leaves, and flowers 

 resembling the Richardia. They are natives of 

 China. H. cordata is occasionally grown in 

 green-houses, and requires the same treat- 

 ment as the Richardia. H. aromatica has an 

 agreeable aromatic odor, and its root is sup- 

 posed by the natives to possess medicinal 

 properties. 



Home'ria. From homerio, to meet; the fila- 

 ments are connected in a tube around the 

 style. Nat. Ord. Iridacem. 



A small genus of pretty flowering bulbs 

 from the Cape of Good Hope, and formerly 

 included in the genus Morea. They succeed 

 well in the open border, but require the pro- 

 tection of a frame during winter. Propagated 

 by offsets, that should be taken off in Septem- 

 ber. 



Honesty. See Liunaria. 



Honey Bean. See Robinia. 



Honey Floiver. See Melianthus. 



Honey Garlic. See Nectaroscordum. 



Honey Locust. See GleditscMa. 



Honey Plant. The genus Hoya. 



Honeysuckle. The common name for the genus 

 Loniccra. 



Honey-vwort. See Cerinthe. 



Hoop Petticoat. A common name given to the 

 genus Corbviaria; also to Narcissus bulboco- 

 dium. 



Hop. See HMrmlus Lvpuhis. 

 Japan. A popular name for Humulvs Japomir 

 cus. 



