THE GARDENING WORLD 
608 
May 18, 1895. 
Pelargonium : pelargos, a stork ; in allusion to the 
beak-like fruit. 
Phlox : phlox, a flame; colour of the flowers. 
Pinguicula: pinguis, fat, referring to the greasy 
leaves. 
Plumbago: plumbum, an eye disease; supposed 
cure. 
Polemonium : polemos, war ; Pliny says war, and 
two kings each claimed to have discovered its 
virtues. 
Polygala: polys, much, and gala, milk ; the milk¬ 
wort. 
Polygonum: polys, many, and gonu, the knee; 
referring to the numerous knee-like joints of the 
stem. 
Potentilla: potens, powerful, medical. 
Primula: primus, first or early flowering. 
Pyrethrum : pyr, fire; roots hot to taste. 
Ranunculus : rana, a frog ; locality. 
Rhododendron: rhodos, a rose; dendron, a tree! 
literally, rose tree. 
Salvia: salveo, I heal; healing qualities of the 
Sage. 
Saxifraga : saxum, a stone ; frangers, to break ; 
supposed medicinal properties. 
Scabiosa : scabies, itch ; a supposed cure. 
Sedum : sedere, to sit ; in allusion to its habit of 
growing on rocks, walls, etc. 
Senecio : senex, an old man ; naked receptacle after 
the papus gone ; bald head. 
Silene: sialon, saliva; viscid moisture on stalks 
whereby flies are attracted ; catch-fly. 
Stellaria : stella, a star. 
Syringa : syrinx, a pipe; straight branches filled 
with medulla, hence the old name of the Lilac is 
pipe tree ; Lilac is Persian for the flower. 
Thalictrum : thallo, to grow green ; in allusion to 
the colour of the young shoots. 
Trifolium : tres, three, and folium, in leaf; Trefoil. 
Tritonia: treis, three, and temno to cut; three 
sharp edges at end of leaves. 
Tropaeolum: tropaion, a trophy; leaves a 
buckler, flowers a helmet. 
Tussilago : tussis, a cough ; Coltsfoot. 
Vicia : vincio, to bind ; tendrils. 
Valeriana: valere, to be in health; medical 
qualities. 
Orchids. 
Calanthe: halos, beautiful; anthos, a flower. 
Cattleya : named by Lindley after Wm. Cattley, 
of Barnet ; patron and collector, 
Coelogyne : hoilos, hollow ; form of stigma. 
Cymbidium : kymbe, a hollow recess (labellum). 
Cypripedium : cupvis, Venus ; podion, slipper. 
Dendrobium : dendron, a tree ; bios, life ; generally 
found on trees. 
Epidendrum : epi, upon, and dendron, a tree. 
Masdevallia ; Joseph Masdeval; Spanish. 
Odontoglossum : odous, a tooth ; glossa, a tongue. 
Oncidium : onkos, a tumour ; warts on the lip. 
Phalaenopsis : phalaina, a moth; opsis, resem¬ 
blance. 
Vanilla: diminutive of vaina, Spanish for a 
sheath ; in reference to pod being like a sheath of a 
knife. 
Ferns. 
Adiantum ; adiantos, dry. Pliny says it is in vain 
to plunge the Adiantum into water for it will always 
remain dry. 
Asplenum : a, not; and splen, the spleen. 
Botrychium : botrys, a bunch ; arrangement of the 
fruitification. 
Cystopteris : kustis, a bladder ; pteron, a wing, a 
feather. 
Gymnogramme : gymnos, naked ; gamma, writing ; 
naked sori. 
Hymenophyllum : hymen, a membrane, and 
phyilon, a leaf. 
Ophioglossum: ophios, a snake, and glossa, a 
tongue. 
Osmunda : a Celtic deity. 
Polypodium : polys, many ; and pous, a foot; 
rhizomes. 
Polystichum : polys, many ; and stachys, a spike. 
Pteris: pteron, a wing or feather; shape of the 
leaves. 
Scolopendrium : scolopendra, a centipede ; in allu¬ 
sion to the sori being like that animal. 
Hardy Ornamental Flowering Trees and Shrubs, by 
A. D. Webster. A valuable guide to planters of beautiful 
trees and sbrubs for the adornment of parks and gardens 
Price, 3s.; post free, 3s. 3d. Publisher, Gardenino World 
i, Clement’s Inn, Strand, London, W.C. 
ARDENING MISCELLANY. 
BEGONIA TRIOMPHE DE NANCY. 
The dwarf habit and the beautiful colours of this 
winter-flowering subject make it one of the most 
useful for the purpose. Hitherto many less beautiful 
sorts have been grown with all cultural care and the 
closest attention in order to get some flowers for 
cutting, or plants for decorative purposes ; but that 
under notice surpasses a host of the earlier raised 
sorts in many respects. The leaves are peltate and 
convex above, reminding one of B. socrotana or some 
of its hybrid progeny, but the stems and natural 
habit of the plant are, of course, different. The 
flower buds just before expansion are of a brilliant 
carmine, though considerably paler after they are 
opened; their profusion renders the plant a valuable 
one for winter decoration. We saw it recently in 
the nursery of Messrs. J. Laing & Sons, Forest Hill. 
MU SCAR I CONICUM. 
While this species is one of the earliest to come 
into bloom, it is also one of the latest owing to the 
slowness of growth and the durable character of the 
flowers. The linear, dark green leaves are very 
numerous and from amongst them the floral 
inflorescence slowly pushes up, and becomes well 
coloured and attractive at a very early age. All the 
lower and fertile flowers, that is, those which pro¬ 
duce seed are of a bright or intense violet-blue, while 
the barren ones at the apex of the scape are much 
paler in hue. In average seasons the bulbs com¬ 
mence flowering in March, and though slightly later 
this year, they were still in splendid condition at the 
end of April in the nursery of Messrs. Barr & Sons, 
Long Ditton, Surrey, and likely to last for a consider¬ 
able time longer. A good sized patch is more effective 
than a few bulbs crowded together and forming a 
crowded tuft. Space might be found for such 
patches in the herbaceous borders or in small 
circular beds where a Standard Rose, a Rhododen¬ 
dron, or other subject is planted in the centre. As 
the foliage dies down something can be planted over 
the top to keep the space tidy for the season. 
ARUM SANCTUM. 
Would you kindly give me the culture of Arum 
sanctum in the Gardening World ?— J.P. 
[The proper name for the plant is Arum palaestinum 
which was first introduced and distributed under 
that name as long ago as 1864. It is not hardy, but 
requires a greenhouse temperature to succeed, seeing 
that it commences to grow so early in the season. 
During the resting period the tubers should be kept 
rather dry, and when they begin to grow they should 
be re-potted in a rich compost consisting of good 
fibrous loam with a third of well decayed farmyard 
manure, some leaf soil and sufficient sand to keep 
the whole porous and open. Let the plants come 
along slowly, giving them very little water in the 
early stages till in full growth, when they will take 
a fair supply dependent, of course, upon the weather 
and the amount of ventilation given. Keep the 
plants near the glass to prevent their getting drawn, 
They make their growth in spring earlier or later, 
according to the temperature maintained, and flower 
accordingly some time between March and May.— 
Ed.] 
PLANTS INJURIOUS TO CATTLE. 
I shall feel much obliged if you will inform me if the 
Cowburn (which is, I believe, injurious to cattle), or 
any other plant which is injurious to them, is to be 
found in pastures where plants which they find 
nutritious, such as Tussock Grass, Clover, and Sain¬ 
foin, are also found.— Bos. 
[By Cowburn we take it for granted that you 
mean Cowbane (Cicuta virosa), an umbelliferous 
plant which grows in ditches and similarly wet 
places. Cattle would occasionally meet with it in 
such places, but not on pastures proper, unless they 
are wet and marshy. The Darnel Grass (Lolium 
temulentum) is said to be injurious to cattle, but 
according to our experience it is far from common. 
Hemlock (Conium maculatum), and Fool’s Parsley 
(Aethusa Cynapium), also belong to the same order 
as Cowbane, and are reputed poisonous. They grow 
about hedges and in waste places where cattle might 
have access to them. The injury they would cause 
we suspect would depend upon the extent to which 
they are poisonous and the quantity eaten. Tussock 
Grass (Poa flabellata), also known as Dactylis 
caespitosa and Festuca flabellata, is a native of the 
Falkland Islands and not much cultivated here as 
far as we have seen or heard. Possibly you may 
refer to Dactylis glomerata, better known as Cock’s- 
foot Grass; if so, it is a common British Grass, and 
as widely distributed as Clover. Sainfoin is more 
confined to chalky districts. Except Darnel Grass, 
none of the poisonous plants above mentioned would 
grow on good pasture land.—E d.] 
THREE FINE TULIPS. 
One of the largest flowered species in cultivation is 
T. Eichleri, which has huge flowers of a brilliant 
scarlet with a large obversely heart-shaped black 
blotch edged with gold at the base of every seg¬ 
ment. The richness of the colour and the handsome 
blotches give the whole a gorgeous appearance 
during the month of May. The foliage is of a light 
glaucous green and the plant very dwarf. Another 
species flowering at the same time, or slightly later, 
is T. undulatifolia Boissieri, with long scarlet 
segments having a wedge-shaped black blotch edged 
with gold at the base of each. The foliage is very 
pretty, and the most distinct characteristic of the 
species. The leaves are narrow and very much 
undulated or finely crisped and wavy, and of a deep 
glaucous or sea-green ; they are mostly confined to 
the base of the scape and radiate on all sides close to 
the ground. The flowers of T. Clusiana are of 
moderate size, but white with a broad bright red 
band along the back of the three outer segments, 
and having a carmine blotch at the base of all the 
six segments internally. The bulbs flower freely 
and regularly, sending up stems to the height of 
15 in., and the leaves are linear and deeply glaucous. 
That known as T. C. Leichtlinii is dwarfer. All 
flowered very finely a short time ago in the nursery 
of Messrs. Barr & Son, Long Ditton, Nursery. 
PTERIS CRETICA TORRANCII. 
In the early stages this Fern closely resembles P. 
cretica nobilis, but as it attains full vigour the plant 
practically develops a fresh character. The fronds 
at first erect and somewhat massive are followed by 
another series of them that are heavily crested, yet 
though they assume a spreading habit thus diverging 
from P. c. nobilis, they remain compact making the 
plant bold and handsome, yet graceful for decorative 
purposes. It is possible to raise seedlings from it 
having the same characters as the parent but a large 
percentage of them would no doubt present variable 
characters. The plant can, however, be increased 
by separating the crowns, and this method of pro¬ 
pagation would suffice for the needs of private 
establishments. We noted some plants of this 
beautiful variety in the nursery of Messrs. J. Laing 
& Sons, Forest Hill. 
TRACT ABILITY OF CANNAS. 
As a reserve plant of immediate effect few can out¬ 
class the Canna. If removed with care, even in a 
blooming state it shows no resentment. I start my 
Cannas in a hotbed of moderate warmth, first 
dividing the clumps and then packing the divisions 
as closely together as bricks are laid in a pavement. 
When the main hotbed is vacant and the Canna 
beds proper are filled, the surplus is transplanted to 
other portions of the spent hotbed,where they remain 
until wanted elsewhere Oh ! how they do like to 
send their roots down through the thin layer of soil 
and ramble in among the manure in the hotbed. 
They require frequent watering in this situation. 
When needed elsewhere, a thorough soaking of the 
soil is given, and then with a sharp spade deep cuts 
are made on three sides without any lateral pressure, 
the fourth cut being slightly oblique, with a pressure 
down on the handle, when the plant is lifted with 
soil adhering. This can be done any time in 
summer, and they can be used to replace late spring 
blooming plants or fill gaps in the border occasioned 
by accident or disease. I use chiefly Madame Crozy 
for this purpose.— IV. C. Egan, in “Gardening" 
(American). 
-- 
WREATH MAKING. 
Most gardeners are called upon at some time or 
other to make up wreaths, but it is not everyone 
who has the knack of doing it well, and there are a 
good many who hardly know how to set about the 
work at all. There are also some who still stick to 
the old-fashioned method of laying and wrapping, 
