578 



HISTORY OF THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM. 



grown, and to protect tliem from frost till the 

 approach of spring. Various hybrids of great 

 beauty are readily produced from the species of 

 this family. 



The HiEMANTHUs, or Blood Flower. This is 

 a genus belonging to the same natural family as 

 the above, and so called from the brilliant red 

 colours of the flower. These are chiefly green- 

 house plants, and thrive best in a sandy loam, 

 with a little heat. 



Hcemaiithus multiflorus is a tender stove bulb, 

 which requires a high temperature. They are 

 to be watered sparingly at first, but require a 

 frequent supply afterwards, taking care not to 

 pour the water over the leaves, as it is apt to get 

 into the heart of the plant and rot it. 



The Tuberose (polyanihestuherosa). Natural 

 family liemerocallideae ; hexandria, monogynia, of 

 Linnaeus. This flower is a native of India. The 

 root is tuberous, the stem upright, the leaves 

 linear and lanceolate, the flowers numerous, and 

 very fragrant. It was introduced into Europe 

 about the year 1524, and is much esteemed as a 

 green-house bulb; in warmer situations, it will 

 also blow in the open air. The tubers are annu- 

 ally imported from Italy, and the warmer parts 

 of North America, and sometimes from Guernsey, 

 although, by proper management, it is believed 

 they could be easily raised in this country. 



The bulbs are planted in pots of sandy loam, 

 in March or April, and brought forward in a 

 hot-bed, or hot-house, till the flower buds begin 

 to appear. The pots are then removed to the 

 green-house, or open air, or to halls, or churches, 

 as practised in Italy, where the cooler tempera- 

 ture procures a prolonged bloom. Or they may 

 be planted in a warm, open border, in the fol- 

 lowing manner. 



A pit is to be dug two or three feet deep, and 

 filled with fresh stable dung about the middle 

 of April; over this is spread a layer of light 

 sandy earth, and the tubers planted at the dis- 

 tance of five inches apart, the upper part of the 

 tuber being just covered with the earth. Little 

 or no water is to be given at first, but the bed 

 is to be protected by a covering from frost and 

 rain; when the leaves are about an inch long, a 

 little fresh compost is to be added to the surface; 

 and in June and July, when the leaves are in 

 full vigour, copious watering is necessary, espe- 

 cially after warm sunny days. In autumn and 

 winter, the bed is again protected from rains and 

 frost. In February the roots are to be taken up, 

 and packed in the sand till the period of planting 

 in April. In short, according to Salisbury, the 

 object is to keep the roots growing as vigorously 

 as possible from May till October; but in the 

 winter months, to keep them in a state of com- 

 plete rest and drought. By this process bulbs 

 maj' be produced equal to those imported from 

 abroad. 



The P^eony. Natural family rammculacea; ; 

 poh/an&ria, digynia, of Linnaeus. The peony 

 was so called after the Greek physician Paeon, 

 who is said to have employed it in medicine, and 

 used it to cure Pluto of a wound inflicted by 

 Hercules. It is esteemed by the moderns as a 

 splendid flowering plant. 



There are two principal kinds, the common 

 (p. officinalis), which is an herbaceous flower, 

 a native of Switzerland and other parts of 

 Europe, and also of Asia; and the moutan, or 

 Chinese tree, which is shrubby, a native of 

 China and Japan. 



Besides these there are several other species, 

 and a number of varieties, especially of the 

 herbaceous kinds. The herbaceous peonies are 

 propagated by seed, selected from the single and 

 semi-double sorts, in order to procure new varie- 

 ties; and by dividing the roots for ordinary pur- 

 poses. The seeds are to be sown in light, f'reslr 

 earth immediately after they are ripe, which is 

 in September, and covered up with half an inch 

 of earth. They will come up in the following 

 spring; and may remain in the seed bed two 

 years before they are transplanted, sifting a little 

 fresh earth over them when the leaves decay at 

 the end of the growing season. After two years' 

 growth in the seed bed, they are to be trans- 

 planted in September into other well prepared 

 beds of light fresh earth, and placed six inches 

 apart, and three inches deep. Here they are to 

 remain till they flower, which is generally the 

 fourth or fifth summer after sowing. Full grown 

 roots are readily propagated by parting, taking 

 care to preserve a bud on the crown of each off- 

 set. The plants are very hardy, growing in 

 almost any soil, and even under the shade of 

 trees, where, it is said, they continue longest in 

 beauty. Being large and showy flowers, they 

 form an appropriate ornament to the parterre or 

 shrubbery. 



The shrubby pseonies are usually propagated 

 by divisions, or layers; but they may be also 

 grafted on the roots of the herbaceous sorts, or 

 struck from cuttings. The grafting is done any 

 time from the beginning of September to the 

 middle of March. Select some good tubers of 

 the common or any other sort, and take off cut- 

 tings of any of the tree kinds to be selected. 

 Then slit the tuber from the crown downwards 

 about two inches from the scions, like a wedge, 

 insert it into the slit of the tuber, and fit the 

 barks on one side as accurately as possible. Then 

 bind them weU. together with good bast, over 

 which put one turn of brass wire, to prevent 

 the parts from separating ; after the bast is 

 decayed, put them into pots deep enough to 

 allow the mould to cover the top of the tuber; 

 set them into a cold frame or pit, keep them 

 close, rather drj^, and defended from the sun for 

 the first month, and from frost during winter. 



