RH(EO 



of thr ovary. 11. ilixi-„l„r is a short-steninie.l crect- 

 i,'ro\viiig N.ng-leared [.hint, not unlike a 1. road-leaved 

 small Pandauus in hal.it, FIs. white, small ;Lnd many 

 in a boat-shaped spathe-lil<e structure arising; from the 

 axil of the leaf and whieh is sessile or nearlv'su; sej.als 

 :!, free, more or less petal-like; petals :;, seori withering; 

 stamens 0. Var. vittata, Ho..k. ( Tnnh'snhilhi dixcolor, 

 var. fUlafa, Miq. T. ilisijol<:r. var. niriniriln . Hook. T. 

 rarit-yilta. Hort.),is the common form in' cult. The Ivs. 

 are 8-12 in. long, dark purple beneath and lonKitndinally 

 striped above with pale yellow. A strikinc:" plant for 

 the warmhouse. or for the open in the South. H.IM. 

 r.l179. F.S. ll:nii9-70. Cult, as for wannh.iuse Tra- 

 descantias. L. H. B. 



KHOPALA. See Emipahi. 



EH0PAL6STYLIS (name refers to the club-shaped 

 spadix). J',ili}i,'ir,,e. Two species of pinnate palms, 

 both of which are favorite conservatory palms and 

 nearly always sold as species of Areca or Kentia. How- 

 ever, Rhopalostylis beli>ngs to the large sroup in which 

 the ovule is borne on the side and is more or less pen- 

 dulous, while in Areca and Kentia the ovule is at the 

 base and erect. From the 5 cultivated genera listed 

 under HeJi/.^ee/n' (which .see) Rhopalostylis differs as 

 follows: sepals of staminate fls. awl-shaped to lanceo- 

 late, not imbricated: stamens 6-12: pistillate tls. with 

 short petals, valvate at the apex. The two species are 

 spineless |ialtns with medium ringed candices: Ivs. ter- 

 minal, equally pinnatisect; segments ecpiidistant, numer- 

 ous, narrowly sword-shaped, acuminate, the margins not 

 thickened, recurved at the base, the niidveins promi- 

 nent, with 1-3 nerves on each side: rachis concave above, 

 scurfy; petiole very short ; sheath elongated: spadices 

 short, spreading, with a very short, thick peduncle, and 

 fringed, rather thick, densely-fld. Iiraucbes; spathes 2, 

 symmetrical, oblong, flattened, the lower 2-wingeil ; 

 bracts adnate to the flower-bearing areas, subulate at 

 the apex: bractlets scaly: Hs. medium: fr. small or 

 medium, ellipsoidal, smooth. 



sapida, H. Wendl. & Drude (Arfra xnpida, Soland. 

 Kentia sdplda, JIast. ). Steui C-10 ft. high, G-8 in. in 

 diam., cylindrical, green: Ivs. 4-G ft. lon,g, pinnate: 

 segments very narrow, linear ; margin replicate ; 

 nerves, midrib and petiole covered with minute scales; 

 tls. pale pinkish: fr. brown. New Zealand. B.M. 5139. 



Batieri, H. Wendl. & Drude {Areca Balieri, Hook, 

 Ke'ti/i'i Baheri, Seem. Sen forth ia roJn'ista, Hort.|. 

 .Stouter and taller thaii it*. setpltJa: Ws. larger and 

 broader; segments linear-lanceolate, acuminate; nerves, 

 midrib and petiole sparselv scalv: tls. white; fr. more 

 globose, scarlet. Norfolk I'sl. I.H. IS:;")?:"). B.M. 5735 



Jaked G. Smith. 



EHUBAEB, or Pie-p!ant (see Jihei(m)^ is com- 

 monly Lrrown by division of the roots, and this is the 

 only method by whicli a particular type can be in- 

 creased. Propagation from seed, however, often proves 

 satisfactory, and always interesting, as the seedlings 

 vary greatly. The seed germinates easily, and if 

 started early the plants become fairly large and strong 

 the same season. Although the crop is so easily pu'o- 

 duced, and so certain and regular after a ])lantation has 

 once been started, it is one of the most prt)tital>le of 

 market-garden crr.ps, even in small places and neigh- 

 borhoods. A large ntimber of home gardeners are si ill 

 without it on their premises, although everybody seems 

 to want Rhubarb pie as soon as spring opens, this plant 

 giving the first available material in the year for jties. 



Rhuljarb delights in extremely rich soil. Very large 

 and brittle leaf stalks cannot be s-M-ureil except fnnn 

 soil that is really "filled with manure to ct^erflowing." 

 The seedlings, however, may be starteil in any good 

 clean garden soil. So\v seed in ejirly sptring, in rows a 

 foot apart aiKl not over an inch deep. Thin the plants 

 promjitly to stand a few inches apart in the rows, and 

 give the s:ime thorough cultivation allowed to other 

 garden crops. In the following fall or spring take the 

 seedlings up, and set them in the well-pre])ared perma- 

 nent patch, not less than fotir feet a])art e;ich way, and 

 cultivate fref|nently during the entire season. Ten to 

 twenty plants will supply the demands of one house- 



RHPBARB 



1.127 



hold, i>ossiIily with .suiiie U> spare for the iieighb(»rs. 

 lu sprin,:.' of thr next year the .stalks may be pulled 

 freely. WIm-h snii fertility forces a rampant growth, 

 the shtlk.s will hr hir.ii'e and hrittln eiiou.ii:li without the 

 aid i'f huxcs or hegs ) hnttoitiles.s and cuverless) plai.-rd 

 over tlie plants. '.I"he beds siiould lio renewed every 4 

 nr .". yeai-s at the least, as tiie eiumiis of roo1s ^-fuw'so 

 iar^^e, and have so many eyes, that the slalks :-.non be- 

 conn.i more numerous than desirable, !uid run down in 

 size. Take up the entire roots and cut Ihem to pieres, 

 leaving only one strong eye to the iiieee, and jdant llie 

 I'ieces in a newly-prepared bed (or even in the old <Hie 

 if properly enriched and prepared) four feet ajKirt ea(di 

 way as before. Seed-stalks are produced freely during 

 the entire season. Tln'se should be i)romptIy pulled 

 up, unless seed is wanted. A few may be left to mature 

 the seed crop. 



Khul)arl) can be forepd in coldframes, under the 

 greenhouse benches, or even in an ordinary In.aise 

 cellar. The plants need warmth (even that of a lantern 

 set among them will do), but require no li^dit. Take up 

 good strong roots (2-year seedlings iieing best) in 

 autumn; leave them (.>ut until after exposure to freez- 

 ing, then crowd tliem together iu boxes with a little soil 

 between and under them, and set them nnderthe green- 

 house beu(di, or wherever wanted, or plant them out on 

 the cellar bottom. T. Gkeinek. 



Rhubarb is a hardy plant and will withstand consitler- 

 able neglect, but, like most cultivated vegetaldes, it 

 responds readily to proper care and good treatment. 

 The large fleshy stems desired in culinary use are 

 produced in part by the great store of plant-food held 

 in reserve by the nianj^ big roots of the vegetable. 

 Everything should be done to increase this supply of 

 reserve food. Tilhi.ge and fertilizing, therefore, are fuu- 

 darnentals. In the seleetion of a site the writer prefers 

 a southern exposure, with sufticient slope to the south 

 to give good drainage. Plow the ground 6-8 in. deep, 

 draw furrows 5 ft. apart, set the plants .S ft. apart, "with 

 the buds one inch l)elow the level of the ground. If 

 the soil lacks in fertility mix compost with the dirt that 

 is placed about tlie roots; never put fresh manure next 

 to the roots. As soon after planting as possible start 

 the cultivator, and give a thorough stirring at intervals 

 of 6-8 days up to the middle or last of August. After 

 the ground is frozen cover the rows 3-4 in. deep with 

 manure that is as free as possible from weed and grass 

 seed. As early in the spring as the ground can be 

 worked to advantage, start the cultivator and work the 

 manure into the soil. Each alternate season the sur- 

 face of the soil should have a good dressing of manure. 

 The third or fourth year after planting the hills should 

 be divided. Remove the earth from one side of the hill 

 and with a sharp spade cut through the crown, leaving 

 :!— 4 buils in the liill nudisturl)ed. This work should be 

 done in the fall or early in the spring. 



As a ff)rced vegetable. Rhubarb is growing in popu- 

 larity. The idaid has no choice as to whether it is 

 grown in ]i;;'ht or darkness. Blanching improves the 

 thivor and reduees the acid, lessening the quantity 

 of su^'ar needed in cooking. Divided roots, with l-'A 

 liuds, whiidi have been grown in highly fertilized, 

 well-tilled soil will give the best results. Plow (^'ut 

 the plants any time after killing frosts, divide the 

 ri'ots and i>hu'e tliem in single layers on to]i of rlie 

 grouml. co\-e7-inL,'' with earth sufficiently to i^rritect tlie 

 i-oots from the air. Leave them iTi this condition until 

 the roots lune been sliii'litly frozen, and then place tin- 

 roofs eitlier in a root cellar, a frame heated hy ])ipes, a 

 hotbe<l, mushroom lious)- or under Itenches in a green- 

 house. Paek the roofs close together, tilling in and 

 packing closely wiHi i:-i>od rich soil. The crowns shouhl 

 be covere'l 4—ii in. Keep the soil moist and maintain a 

 genial temperature of .^)5-60°. Avoid (iver-watering. 

 The roots may be packed in a family cellar without any 

 bad effect to other things, as there is no odor from the 

 jilants. Judgment must be exercised in pulling the 

 stems. The work should always be done l.>y an experi- 

 enced pierson. 



The writer has grown see<llings for ten successive 

 years. Fully 7-^ per cent of all the seedlings showed a 

 tendency to degenerate, and 25 per cent were almost as 

 coarse as burdocks in appearance. Plalf of one's seed- 



