THE 
TRA 
of this genus are grown for their singu¬ 
lar appearance rather than any beauty in 
either foliage or flowers. At the base 
of the stems is a large woody process, 
which looks as though it had been 
carved to resemble the shell of a tor¬ 
toise, hence the name; this is frequently 
from one to two feet in diameter, and at 
the Cape of Good Hope, its native place, 
often more. The interior is filled with 
a soft pith, which in times of scarcity is 
eaten by the Caffres; the stems are 
deciduous, climbing, and scantily fur¬ 
nished with small pinnate leaves; the 
flowers are small, of a greenish yellow. 
The plants grow best in sandy peat and 
loam, requiring in summer the ordinary 
treatment of greenhouse plants, and in 
winter to be kept dry. 
THE A (Linn.) Natural Order 
Ternstromiacea. There are three species 
of the tea plant, natives of China, but it 
is only from one of them (T. viridis ) 
that the article of commerce is obtained, 
all the varieties sold being merely so 
many different modes of preparing the 
leaves. In culture they require to be 
treated exactly in the manner of the 
Camellia. 
THUNBERGIA (Linn.) Nat. Ord. 
Acanthacece. A genus of very handsome 
climbing plants; some of the species, 
such as cdata , a. alba , aurantiaca , and the 
varieties of the same, may be treated as 
half-hardy annuals; they usually seed 
freely, and should be sown in March in 
heat, bringing the young plants forward 
in the same temperature till May, when 
they may either be transferred to the bor¬ 
ders of the flower garden to be trained 
against a wall, or suffered to creep over 
rockwork, or they may be placed in 
large pots having a trellis attached, 
where they form very ornamental subjects 
for the greenhouse through the summer. 
The remaining species, as they do not 
roduce seed in any quantity, require to 
e preserved in the stove; large pots, 
filled with peat, leaf-mould, and loam, 
are necessary to grow them well, and in 
summer they should be frequently 
syringed to keep down attacks of red 
spider; at the end of the growing season 
they should be pruned closely back, and 
kept dormant through the winter. The 
recent species, T. clirysops , however, 
does better when allowed to grow on 
without pruning, nor should it be re¬ 
potted more than once a year, or it will 
not flower. 
THYMUS (Linn.) Natural (Drder 
Labiatae. Some of the dwarf species of 
thyme are very pretty subjects for rock- 
work, where their creeping stems form a 
carpet of verdure, a few, such as ciliatus, 
spicatus , &c., require the protection of a 
frame in winter. 
TIGRLDIA (Jussieu.) Nat. Order 
Iridacece. These very handsome bulb¬ 
ous-rooted plants are deserving adoption 
in every garden ; their culture is of the 
easiest description, and the beauty of 
their - flowers unsurpassed. In April a 
bed of light rich soil should be prepared 
for them, and the roots planted at a 
depth of about two inches; they bloom 
in June, July, and August, and by the 
end of September the stems will die off, 
and the roots should be taken up, dried, 
and preserved in bags till the next plant¬ 
ing season. The species are conchiflora, 
yellow and dark red; pavonia, orange 
and red; and a variety of the latter 
called leona , with bolder markings. 
TILL AND SI A (Linn.) Nat. Order 
Bromeliaceae. Interesting epiphytal 
plants, with handsome flowers freely 
produced, and in several instances en¬ 
livened with showy-coloured bracts. The 
smaller species may be fastened to billets 
of wood or balls of moss, and suspended 
from the roof of the stove; the larger 
kinds should be grown in pots, and 
treated in the manner of the pine-apple. 
TORENIA (Linn.) Natural Order 
Scroplmlariacece . Very beautiful plants, 
particularly the recently introduced T. 
asiaticus and concolor. They should be 
grown in sandy peat and leaf-mould, 
have a brisk heat to grow in, with 
plenty of water while in an active state, 
and a considerable reduction of both 
warmth and moisture in the winter or 
resting season. 
TRACHELIUM (Linn.) Nat. Ord. 
Campanulacete. A showy plant wheii in 
flower. It should be grown in a border 
of light rich earth at the foot of a south 
