STE



555



S T



green shrub. Young cuttings
peat, and sand.

STEPHANOTIS fiorihunda. Stove
climber. Cuttings. Light rich loam.

STEPTOCARPUS rexii. Mr. M'ln-
tyrc, of Hillsborough, gives the follow



Loam, Hardy bulbous perennials. Offsets. Rich
loam.

STEVENLl. Two species. Hardy
innual and biennial. Seeds. Common



STEVIA. Thirty-one species. Hardy,
directions for the culture of this half-hardy, or green-house herbaceous

perennials. Cuttings, divisions and
seeds. Peat and loam.

STEWARTIA virsrinica. Hardv de-



green-house evergreen : —

The seed should be sown in the



month of April, in pans, in a mixture of ;

peat and loam ; then place the pans in ciduous tree. Layers or ripe cuttings.

a hot-bed, frame or_pit,_until the plants Peat and loam.

STIFTL\ insi^nis. Green-house de-
Cuttings. Loam and



are fit for potting off. The seed should

be sown very thin; if not, the greater ciduous shrub.

portion of the plants will rot off for want peat.

of air and room to their stalks, as they S TIGMAPHYLLON. Four species.

grow with their foliage prostrate. As Stove evergreen twiners. Cuttings.

soon as the plants are large enough for Peat and sandy loam.

potting off, fill a quantity of pots with a



mixture of leaf-mould, loam, and sand ;
place a plant in each pot, and give a
little water.

"Afterwards remove them into the
frame or pit; when they have got es-
tablished in their pots, they may be
removed to a cold frame or green-
house.

" In June, they may be placed in the
open air, and regularly watered during
the summer.

" Towards the end of October, re-
move them to a frame, to protect them
from frost. In May or June Ibllowing
they may be planted out where recjuired.
As soon as frost is apprehendecl, take
up the plants, with a ball of earth at-
tached to the roots, repot them and
place them in a green-house or frame,
till again required.'' — Gard. Chron.

S T E R C U L I A. Eighteen species.
Stove evergreen trees and shrubs. Ripe
cuttings, with the leaves left on. Light
turfy or peaty loam.

STER1GM.\. Two species. Hardy
biennials. Seeds. Sandy loam.

STERILE is a term applied to unpro-
ductive land and flowers. For some
observations on the first, see Barren.
Sterile (lowers are the male flowers on
monocicious and dioecious plants. They
occur on the cucumber, melon, gourd,
asparagus, &c. They must not be de



STILAGO. Two species. Stove
evergreen trees. Cuttings. SandyJoam
and peat.

STITCHWORT. Stellaria.

SiTQ'a ]^i\. pinnata. Green-house
evergreen shrub. Young cuttings.
Light rich soil.

STOCK. Mathiola. This genus was,
until lately, united with the wall-flower,
under the generic name Cheiranthus.
Some of the following are species, but
others only very distinct varieties,

M. acaulis. (Stemless Stock.) Hardy
annual. Red. Flowers in June.

M. alpina. (Alpine Stock.) Hardy
evergreen. Yellow. May.

M. annua. (Ten-week Stock.) Hardy
annual. Various colours. August.
Many varieties.

M. coronopifolia. Hardy biennial.
Purple. June.

M.fenestralis. Hardy biennial. Pur-
ple. July.

M. glabrata. Half-hardy evergreen.
White. August.

M. grcEca. Hardy annual. White.
August.

M. helvetica. (Swiss Stock.) Hardy
evergreen. Yellow. June.

M. incana. (Brompton and Twick-
enham Stock.) Hardy evergreen shrub.
Crimson. August. Many varieties.

M. livida. Hardy annual. Purple.



stroyed, for without the pollen produced July,
by their stamens, the fertile or female M. longipetala. Hardy annual. Red.
blossoms will not produce fruit. If .Tune
plants are grown in too high a tempera-
ture, there is reason to believe they
produce an excess of these sterile or
male blossoms.

S T E R N B E R G I A. Four species.



M.maritima. (Virginia Stock.) Hardy
annual. Red and white. June.

M. mutabilis. (Changeable Stock.)
Green-house evergreen. Yellow and
purple. May.



S T



556



S T



M. odoratissima. Green-house ever-
green. Crimson. June.

M. oxyr.eras. Hardy annual. Crim-
son. July.

M. parvijlora. Hardy annual. Pur-
ple. July.

M. purpurea. Half-hardy evergreen.
Purple. August.

M. sicula. Hardy biennial. Lilac.
July.

M. simplicicauUs. Hardy biennial.
Purple or white. July.

M. sinuata. Hardy biennial. Red.
July.

M. tartarica. Hardy biennial. Red.
or yellow. July.

M. tenella. (Five-leaved Stock.)
Hardy annual. Brown. July.

M. tortuosa. Green-house evergreen.
Purple. July.

M. tricuspidata. Hardy annual. Pur-
ple. July.

M. tristis, M. varia. (Night-smell-
ing or Dark-flowered Stock.) Green-
house evergreen. Crimson. June.

Souring Annuals. — Best time, end of
August, in pans filled with a soil of
equal parts peat and loam, and placed
in a cold frame; water frequently;
when they have got six leaves prick
singly into pots three inches and a half
diameter, in same kind of soil. Keep
in frames through the winter, and shel-
ter from frost. Remove without dis-
turbing the roots into beds and borders,
at the end of May.

Spring sowings in May, June, and
July, will succeed the autumn sown ;
if sown in a hot-bed during April, they
will be nearly as forward as the autumn
sown, but not bloom so strong.

Sou-ing Biennials. — This may be
done in any moderately rich border in
June; to be transplanted where they
are to remain, when of a moderate
size. j

Cuttings may be planted in May, of
any very good double variety, cutting '
them off with a portion of the stern's
bark, in a shady border, watering, and
covering with a hand-glass until esta-
blished. Select robust shoots of the
same year's growth ; strip off the leaves
from the bottom half of their length.
Water frequently, and by September '
they will form dwarf bushy plants. I
know of no means of promoting the ,
production of double flowers, except'
applying abundance of liquid manure
so soon as the flower buds appear. The



weakest seedlings are most likely to
produce double flowers.

STOCK-GILLIFLOVVER. SeeWall-
' flower.

I STOCKS are young trees or shrubs
raised from seed, suckers, layers, and
cuttings, for the reception of buds or
grafts from other trees or shrubs of a
kindred species.

Although the sap increases in specific
gravity, and, consequently, obtains most
accession of solid matter during its pro-
gress up the stem, yet the matter thus
obtained is not of paramount import-
ance, nor absolutely controlling the
subsequent changes to be effected ; for,
in such case, the green-gage would be
altered by its plum stock, and the non-
pareil by its crab stem. So far from
this being the case, the old gardener's
maxim, ' the graft overruleth the stock
quite,' is consonant with truth, though
it is to be taken with some reservation.
The graft prevails, and retains its quali-
ties, yet the stock has the power of in-
fluencing its productiveness, as well as
the quality of the fruit. Thus, a tree
having an expansive foliage, and robust
growth, indicative of large sap vessels,
and vigorous circulation, should never
be grafted upon a stock oppositely cha-
racterized, for the supply of sap will
not be sufficient. Illustrations are af-
forded by the codlin never succeeding
so well on a crab, nor a bigoureau on a
wild cherry, as they do on freer grow-
ing stocks. Indeed I have no doubt
that every tree and shrub succeeds
best, is most productive, and freest
from disease, if it be supplied with sap
from roots, and through a stem, of its
own particular kind. This is evident
to common sense ; nor would any fruit
scion be grafted upon a stock of another
species or variety, if it were not that
such stocks are most easily obtainable.
For example, our choicest cherries are,
for the reason assigned, grafted or bud-
ded upon the wild cherry; and every
one must have noticed the frequently-
occurring consequence, an enlarge-
ment, appearing like a wen, encircling
the tree just above where the graft and
the stock joined, the growth of the
former having far outstripped that of the
latter. If a tree could be nourished
from its own roots, from organs as-
signed by its Creator, as those best
suited to supply the most appropriate
quantity and quality of sap, there can



STO



557



STO



be no doubt that it would be productive hours ; a birch tree, a quantity equal to

of benefit; and this desideratum seems its own weight, duriii;r the bleeding

to be secured by the plan suggested by season; and a moderate sized maple,

M. Aibrett in the instances of apples about two hundred pints, during the



and pears ; and I see no reason forbid-
ding its adoption to any other grafted
tree. He recommends the grafts always



same period.

The habit of the stock, also, is of
much more importance than is usually



to be inserted close to the surface of considered. If it grows more rapidly.



the ground, or they might be even
rather below the surface, by scooping
out the earth around the stems of the



or has larger sap vessels than the scion
or bud, an enlargement occurs below
these; but if they grow more rapidly



stocks. When planted out, the lowest than the stock, an enlargement takes
extremity of the graft should be about place just above the point of union. In



four inches below the surface.



either case, the tree is usually rendered



After two or three years, at the close temporarily more prolific; but in the

of June, the soil should be removed, case where the stock grows more slow-

and just above the junction of the graft ly, the productiveness is often of very

and stock, with a gouge, one fourth of short duration, the supply of sap annu-

the bark removed by four cuts on op- ally becoming less and less sufficient to



posite sides of the stem.



sustain the enlarged production of blos-



The cuts being deep enough to re- som and leaves. This very frequently

move the inner bark, and the wounds occurs in the freer growing cherries,

covered immediately with rich soil, when inserted upon the wild species;

formed of one part putrescent cow- and still more frequently to the peach

dung, and two parts maiden loam, if and apricot upon stocks of the slow

kept constantly moist with water, and growing plums. It is highly important,

occasionally with liquid manure, roots therefore, to employ stocks, the growth



will usually be speedily emitted, espe-
cially if the place where a bud once
was formed be thus kept moist beneath
the soil.

But the stock has some other influ-



of which is as nearly similar as may be
to the parent of the buds or scion.

The earlier vegetation of the stock
than of the bud or graft is also import-
ant ; for, if these are earliest in develop-



ence over the sap, besides limiting the ment, they are apt to be exhausted and
quantity supplied to the scion, an in- die before the flow of sap has enabled
fluence not only arising from the size of granulation and union between the faces
its vessels, but upon its susceptibility to of the wounds, at the junction, to occur,
heat. It has a further influence over Mr. Knight-s observations upon this
the scion, by the sap becoming more point are the results of experience, and
rich, indicated by its acquiring a great- are so consonant with the suggestions
r; specific gravity in some stocks than of science, that I will quote them in his
in others, during its upward progress, own words, without comment : —
The specific gravity of the sap of a " The practice of grafting the pear
black cluster vine stock, on which a on the quince stock, and the peach and
black Hamburgh had been grafted, was, apricot on the plum, when extensive
when obtained six inches from the growth and durability are wanted, is
ground, 1003; and at five feet from the wrong; but it is eligible whenever it
ground, 1006 ; but the same black Ham- is wished to diminish the vigour and
burgh, growing upon its own roots, growth of the tree, and where its dura-
had specific gravities at corresponding bility is not thought important. The



heights of 1004 and 1009.



last remark applies chiefly to the Moor-



This increase is of great importance park a{)ricot,the abricot prchc, or abri-
to a tree's growth, when the quantity cot de Nancy, of the French.



of sap passing annually through its ves-



When great difficulty occurs in



sels is considered. The exact amount making a tree, whether fructiferous or

of this it is, perhaps, impossible to dis- ornamental, of any species or variety,

cover; but its extent may be appreciated produce blossoms, or in making its

bv the quantity of moisture their roots blossoms set when produced, success

are known to imbibe, and by llic facts probably will be obtained by budding

that a small vine branch has poured out or grafting upon a stock nearly enough

sixteen ounces of sap in twenty-four allied to the graft to preserve it alive



STO



558



STO



for a few years, "out not permanently. [ but I have ample reason to believe that
The pear tree affords a stock of tliis this opinion is wholly erroneous, and
kind to the apple, and I have had a this kind of hardiness in the root alone
heavy crop from a graft inserted in a j never can be a quality of any value in
tall pear stock, only twenty months , a stock, for the branches of every spe-
previously, when every blossom of the , cies of tree are much more easily de-
same variety of fruit in the orchard was stroyed by frost than its roots.



destroyed by frost. The fruit thus ob



Many believe also that a peach



tained was perfect externally, and pos- I tree, when grafted upon its native
sessed all its ordinary qualities; but : stock, very soon perishes; but my ex-
the cores were black, without seed ; perience does not further support this
and every blossom would have fallen , conclusion than that it [)roves seedling
abortively, if growing upon its native peach trees, when growing in a very
stock. The graft perished the winter : rich soil, to be greatly injured, and
following. often killed, by the excessive use of the

" My own experience induces me to ' pruning-knife upon their branches,
think very highly of the excellence of! when these are confined to too narrow



the apricot stock for the peach or
nectarine ; but whenever that or the
plum stock is employed,! am confident
the bud cannot be inserted too near the
ground, if vigorous and durable trees
are required.

" The form and habit which a peach
tree, of any given variety, is disposed



limits. I think the stock, in this in-
stance, can only act injuriously by sup-
plying more nutriment than can be
expended ; for the root which nature
gives to each seedling plant must be
well, if not best, calculated for its sup-
port; and the chief general conclusions
which experience has enabled me to



to assume, is very much influenced by ! draw safely are, that a stock of species



the kind of stock on which it is budded
If upon a plum or apricot stock, its
stem will increase in size considerably
as its base approaches the stock, and it
will be much disposed to emit many
lateral shoots, as always occurs in
trees whose stems taper considerably
upwards ; consequently, such a tree



or genus different from that of the fruit
to be grafted upon it, can be used rare-
ly with advantage, unless where the
object of the planter is to restrain and
debilitate ; and where stocks of the
same species with the bud or graft are
used, it will be found advantageous,
generally, to select such as approxi-



will be more disposed to spread itself ' mate in their habits and slate of change,
horizontally, than to ascend to the top ' or improvement from cultivation, those
of the wall, even when a single stem is I of the variety of fruit which they are
sufiered to stand perpendicularly. On intended to support."
the contrary, where a peach is budded I The only situation in which I can
upon a stock of some cultivated variety ' believe that the stock of another spe-
of its own species, the stock and the j cies can be advantageously employed,
budded stem remain very nearly of the ' is where the soil happens to be un-
same size at the point of junction, as ' friendly to the species from which the
well as above and below. No obstacle ' bud or scion is taken. This is justified
is presented to the ascent or descent by my observing that, in a garden so
of the sap, which appears to rise more low lying as to be very subject to an
abundantly to the summit of the tree. | overflow of water, the only pear trees
It appears, also, to flow more freely j which were at all productive were those
into the slender branches, which have grafted upon quince stocks, and the
been the bearing wood of preceding quince is well known to endure water
years; and these extend, consequently, much better than either the apple or
very widely compared with the bulk oft pear. — Princ. of Card.



the stock and large branches.



Stocks for general use may be used



When a stock of the same species for grafting or budding, when from the
with the graft or bud, but of a variety size of a good goosequill to half an
far less changed by cultivation, is em- inch, or not more than an inch in the
ployed, its effects are very nearly allied part where the graft or bud is to be in-
to those produced by a stock of another serted. Stocks of two or three inches,
species or genus. Some think the stock , or more, diameter, either the stems or
influences the hardiness of the scion ; branches, are also occasionally grafted



STO



559



STO



or budded with success, but are not
proper for general practice.

Crab Stocks are all such as are raised
from seeds, &c., of any wild ungrafted
trees, particularly if the fruit-tree kind,
such as the wild crab-apple of the
woods and hedges, wild pears, plums.



described under the name of that tribe,
as Pine Apple, Orchidaceous Plants,
Peach, &c.

Before giving a plan of each general
kind, a few observations may be pre-
fixed applicable to all.

Glass. — This should be of the best



wild cherry, and of such other trees as manufacture, for just in proportion to



have not been grafted or budded.
Free Stocks are such as are raised



its goodness of quality is the freedom
with which the rays of light pass



from the seed, layers, &c., of any of through, and a plant performs its di-



the cultivated varieties of fruit-trees,
and others. j

Paradise or Doucin stocks are raised
from layers or suckers, from a dwarf
variety of apple, the roots of which are
produced nearer to the surface than
those from crab stocks.

The French Paradise stock is dis-



gestive and assimilating processes the
nearer to the vigour with which it effects
them in a state of nature, just in pro-
portion as the light it basks in is similar
to that of its native habitant. But this
is not the only reason why good glass
should be employed in our garden
structures ; for whilst panes of common



tinguished from all others by its very [ crown glass readily break from frost or
dwarf growth, clear chestnut-coloured • the slightest twist of the wood-work,
shoots, and small fibrous roots, which good sheet glass will remain uninjured



spread naar the surface.

The English Paradise may be either
referred to as the Doucin of the French
or the Dutch Paradise; for in English
nurseries, trees propagated on either



by much greater violence and by the
fiercest hailstorms. Some injury from
the last, however, will always arise,
and this leads me to observe, that no one
having green-houses or stoves should



are said to be on paradise stocks. Of fail to have them insured by the " Hail-
these two, the Doucin has the darkest storm Insurance Company." Good
shoots. Their effects on the growth of glass is of little value unless kept clean,
the trees worked upon them are sinii- ! and for this purpose it should be
lar, being intermediate between the cleansed on both sides twice annually,
very dwarf habit induced by the French early in February and October, and on
Paradise, and the luxuriant growth in- "
duced by the crab or free stocks. —
Card. Chron. See Scion, Grafting,
and Budding.

S T (E B E . Four species. Green-
house evergreen shrubs. Young cut-
tings. Sandy loam and peat.



the outside only in June.

The angle formed by the glass roof
of the hnt-house is of very considerable
importance, because rays of light are
refiectcd in proportion to the obli(iuity
with which they fall upon any given
surface : those which fall upon it per-
STOKESI.A. cyanea. Green-house \ pendicularly from the source of light



Seeds or divi- pass through with very slight diminu-
tion, but those falling upon it in a slant-
ing or oblique direction are reduced in
number in proportion to the obliquity
STOFPINti; is pinching or nipping off | of that direction. To ascertain how a



herbaceous perennial
sion. Common soil.

STONECROP. Sediim.

STONE PINE. Pinus Pinea



the extremity of a branch to prevent its
further extension in length. It is fre-
quently done either to promote its
robustness, or to promote the produc-
tion of laterals.

STOR.W. Styrax.

STORK\S BILL. Pelargonium.

STOVES, as they are usually called
in England, or hot-houses, as distinct-
ive from green-houses, are variously
constructed in accordance with the ha-
bits of the plants for which they are



lass roof may be constructed, so as to
receive the greatest number of rays of
' light from the sun perpendicularly, or
near to perpendicularity, at any given
time of the year, it is necessary to know
the latitude of the place where the hot-
house is erected, and the sun's declina-
tion at the period when most light is
required. The latter information may
be obtained from most almanacks, and
if it be subtracted from the latitude, the
remainder will be the angle desired.



intended. Those especially adapted to If London be the place, and May the
one tribe of plants will be particularly ; 6th the lime about when the most light



S T



560



S TO



is desired, the latitude being 51° 31% | Mr. Seymour, gardener to tlie Count-
and the sun's declension then 16° 36^ j ess of Bridgewater, at Ashridge Pari<,



nortli, therefore the roof ought to slope
at an angle of 34"-' 55'.

Fig. 157.




has these sensible remarks upon the
subject: —

" There ought to be three or four
sizes of panes used in horticultural struc-
tures ; suppose, for example, the largest
size for vineries, peach, and fig-houses ;
the next for pits for growing pines,
melons, and cucumbers; a third size
for frames; and the smallest for hand-
glasses. If the sizes are so arranged,
they will be found economical by the
saving of glass. When there is a gene-
ral repair going on with the hot-houses,
the glazier ought to begin with that in
which tlie largest sized panes are first,
and work down to the smallest, and not,
as is freejuently the case, cut a large
piece of glass away to replace a small
one. In my opinion, there are no better
sized panes for hot-houses than seven
inches wide, by four and a half deep ;
for pits, by three inches deep ; lor
frames, five and a half by two and a
half inches deep, &:c., with a lap of one-
eighth of an inch. The glass should be
clear, stout, and selected as flat as pos-
sible, so that the panes may lie perfectly
level one upon the other, and so cut
being vertical. The asterisk d points that they may not fit too tightly against
out its position at the equinoxes, and Ej the ribs, (which is frequently practised
its position at midwinter. If the best by some glaziers,) but room'should be
glass be employed, it is an excellent i left for the ribs to swell and expand,
plan to have it put double in each sash. Before a light is glazed, all the panes



In latitude 52°, Mr. Knight found
from lengthened experiments, that the
best angle is about 34°, considering the
services of a hot-house through the year,
and to illustrate this, he gave the pre-
ceding diagram. About the middle of
IMay, the elevation of the sun at noon
corresponds nearly with the asterisk
A ; in the beginning of June and early
in July it will be vertical at b, and at
midsummer at c. only six degrees from



an interval of half an inch being left
between the two panes, and a small
hole at the corner of the inner one to
prevent the glass being broken by the
expansion or contraction of the air be-
tween. This confined air is one of the



should be laid in loose, to see that they
fit easy and are quite level, as well as
range one with the other; when that is
done, the panes must be taken out and
some well worked putty laid in the re-
bate, the panes must then be replaced



worst possible conductors of heat, keep- I and pressed firmly down, and the bot-