bourhood of Paris, grown as standards in the open air, but enclosed during winter with double glass cases, which are removed in May, and replaced in September; the outer case being covered with straw mats, for weeks together, in severe weather. When the wood of the orange tree is ri pened, and the sap is set to rest by withholding water, it may be kept in the dark, for two or three months together, without injury, provided the air be kept dry. The hardiest kind of orange appears to be the Seville, or bitter, orange. fig. 104.) Mr. Spence, who passed some winters in Florence, states (Gard. Mag., vol. vii, p. 308) that the bitter orange is by far the most hardy variety grown in Italy; and that, in the neighbourhood of Florence, where the cold is so great that skating is sometimes practised occasionally during four months of the year, and where, in the winter of 1899-30, the thermometer was repeatedly down to 26° and 24° Fahr. at 8 A. M., there are standards in the open air, in sheltered situations, but not planted near a wall, with stems from 4 in. to 6 in. in diameter, which pass the most severe winters with no other injury than having the points of the last year's shoots turned a little yellow. The bitter orange is in general use among the Italians, as a stock for grafting all the other sorts on; another proof that it is one of the hardiest and most vigorous-growing sorts. When a trial is to be made in England, we would recommend commencing with this variety; and protecting the ground by litter, and both sides of the wall by mats or boards, for several years, till the plants were ful y established. The simple protection of straw mats, placed over the trees, might, probably, be found enough afterwards, at least in favourable situations. The walls should always be flued, or hollow, in order to afford the opportunity of lighting a fire occasionally. The north sice of the wall might be kept warm by ivy; or, if it were an east and west wall, it might be clothed with half-hardy trees on both sides, and protected accordingly. As examples of different species of the genus Citrus which have attained large dimensions in the open air in England, we cite the following from different places in Devonshire, At Salcombe, near Kingsbridge, in the garden of the Rev. Mr. Henshaw, are two walls covered with fine healthy orange trees: one wall has a broad coping, and glass shapes for placing before the trees in severe winters; the other has reed hurdles for the same purpose, and, though this sometimes excludes the light for three months, it is considered a better protection than the glass. The kinds are, the common, &ville, and blood-red orange, and the citron, lemon, lime, and shaddock. At Dartmouth, in the garden of Mr. Strong, is a very large citron tree. At Luscombe, the seat of C. Hoare, Esq., there are some remarkable large trees of citrons, shaddocks, and limes, which grow so vigorously, that they make shoots of from 6 ft. to 7 ft. in length in one year. They were raised from cuttings on the spot; and, the third year after being planted out, they produced a number of fine fruit, some of the lemons measuring from 15 in. to 18 in. in circumference, and weighing 14 oz. (See Gard. Mag., vol. ii. p. 9) At Kitley, the seat of E. P. Bastard, Esq., there is a remarkably hardy variety of the shaddock, raised on the spot, and known as the Kitley shaddock, which is much hardier than most other sorts of Citrus. At Coombe Royal, the seat of John Luscombe, Esq., are a number of lime, citron, orange, and lemon trees, of which a description will be found in the Gard. Mag., vol. x. p. 36. The trees are planted against a south wall, which is divided by buttresses, forming recesses in which the trees are trained in the manner of common fruit trees. Each recess is 124 ft. wide, and about the same in height; and is protected, during the winter, by a frame of wood, which is wholly removed in the summer, and partially by day, at other seasons; the trees only requiring to be guarded from severe frost. A more interesting sight cannot well be imagined by the lovers of horticulture, than that which is presented by these trees on a sunny day in winter, when the open frames furnish a display of the richest foliage, and of fruit rivalling the produce of foreign countries. The soil, which is seldom manured, is light and rich, on a slaty substratum, and seems admirably adapted to trees of the citron tribe. The situation in which they are grown is in a sheltered valley, protected from wind. It is necessary to add, that the lime is grown under glass in winter; but it is believed that the tree would thrive equally well under wood, and be more secure from frost and storms; a fine tree, in full bearing, having been destroyed, a few years since, by the accidental breaking of a pane or two of glass in winter. The fruit is produced abundantly by the citron, oranges, and lemons; by the lime more sparingly, from the tree being young, and in a vigorous growing state; and, when gathered at a proper period, the fruit is of a fine flavour, and full of juice. Citrons are every year ripened mea. suring from 15 in. to 18 in. in circumference; lemons, 11 in. by 9 in.; and oranges, 10 in. by 9 in.; weighing from 5 oz. to 9 oz. The leaves are generally 11 in. long, and 6 in, or 7 in. wide. (See Gerd. Mag., vol. x. p. 36.) The genus Limònia (from lymoun, the Arabic name of the citron, Latinised) is not very well known; but it includes thirteen or fourteen species, all of which bear more or less affinity to the genus Citrus The species likely to prove hardy or half-hardy are the following, L. Lauréola Dec., a native of Nepal, with leaves like those of Daphne Lauréola, and white flowers, and which is found on the top of cold and lofty mountains, where it is, for some months in the year, buried under the snow. The leaves are highly fragrant; and are, like others of a similar kind, Mr. Royle informs us, employed in the religious ceremonies of the inhabitants of the hills. There can be no doubt of this species of Limònia being perfectly hardy - L. citrifolia Willd. is a native of China, and has white flowers and red berries, with simple or trifoliate leaves. - L. parviflòra Bot. Mag., t. 2416., has impari-pinnate leaves, and white flowers. It is a native of China, and grows to the height of 6 ft. — L. ambigua Dec. is said to be cultivated in East Florida; but very little is known of this and the preceding species.-L. austràlis is a native of New Holland, where it forms a tree 25 ft. high; and there is a plant of it at Kew, introduced in 180. There are four other species of this genus in our stoves and green-houses; but L. Laurèola remains to be introduced by Mr. Royle, or some other patriotic individual. CHAP. XXI. OF THE HARDY AND HALF-HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER HYPERICA CEÆ, and tribe HYPERICEÆ. DISTINCTIVE Characteristics. Thalamiflorous. (H. B.) Sepals 4 or 5, unequal, with an imbricate æstivation. Stamens, in nearly all, numerous, and in 3 or more parcels. Fruit, a capsule or berry of many valves and many cells; the edges of the valves curved inwards. Seeds attached to a placenta in the axis, or on the inner edge of the dissepiments. Leaves dotted; in most, opposite and entire. Flowers, in most, yellow. Sap yellow, resinous. (Lindley, Introd. to N. S.) Description, &c. The hardy ligneous plants belonging to this order are all shrubs or undershrubs sub-evergreen or deciduous; with dotted leaves, smooth, oblong, or lanceolate; and yellow flowers. They are natives of Europe, North America, or Asia. Some few of Africa, but more of Australia. Medicinally, they are bitter and slightly astringent: the soft parts of many species contain a fragrant oil, and others secrete a yellow juice: from a Mexican species the gum Squitum Gulla of commerce is produced. In gardening, these shrubs must be considered more as flowering shrubs for dry borders, than as woody plants of permanent duration in the arboretum or shrubbery. There are, however, one or two exceptions. All the species throw up abundance of side suckers, and are readily propagated by division of the plant, or by cuttings; and some of them ripen seeds. They will grow in any soil, not too stiff, or too much charged with moisture. HYPERICUM L. Capsule membranous. 3 to 5 bundles at the base. Stamens numerous, disposed in ANDROSÆ MUM Chois. Capsule baccate, 1-celled. Calyx 5-parted. numerous, monadelphous at the base. Stamens GENUS I. HYPERICUM L. THE ST. JOHN'S WORT. Lin. Syst. Polyadélphia Polyándria. Identification. Lin. Gen., 392.; Juss., 255.; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 543.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 601. Derivations. The name of Hypericum is as old as the time of Dioscorides; but its origin and mean. ing are uncertain. Some derive it from the Greek words huper, under, and eikōn, an image; and suppose it to signify that the upper part of the flower represents a figure. Others state that huper signifies through, and that the name alludes to the pellucid dots in the leaves, which form small lenses, through which, when held up to the light, images might be seen. Donnegan, in his Lexicon, conjectures the word Hypericum to be taken from huper, for, in the place of, &c., and ereike, heath; from the plant bearing some resemblance to the heath. By others, the word is supposed to be composed from huper, through, on the other side, and eiko, to resemble; from the pellucid dots resembling holes or pores; and the French name of the plant, Mille Pertuis, a thousand pores, is evidently derived from the same source. The English name, St. John's Wort, and the German one, Johannis Kraut, are taken from the country people formerly, both in England and Germany, being in the habit of gathering this plant on St. John's day, to use it to protect themselves from evil spirits. This plant, with some others, was employed to make what was called John's fire, which was supposed to be a security, for those who kindled it, against witchcraft and all attacks of demons. For this reason, also, the Hypéricum received the name of Fuga Dæmonum. Gen. Char. &c. Capsules membranous. Stamens numerous, free or joined at the bases into 3 or 5 bundles. Petals 5. Sepals 5, more or less connected at the base, unequal, rarely equal. Styles 3 to 5, rarely connate in one, manent. Capsule 1- or many-celled, many-seeded, 3-5-valved. Integument of seed double. Albumen none. Embryo with the radicle situated at the umbilicus, and with semicylindrical cotyledons. (Don's Mill., i. p. 601.)-Low sub-evergreen shrubs; with yellow flowers, and oppositely placed sessile or subsessile leaves, usually full of pellucid dots on their disks, and some dark ones on their edges, lodging an essential oil. They are chiefly natives of Europe, and vary in height from 1 ft. to 5 ft. They are all considered medicinal, being powerfully astringent, and were formerly in great request by herbalists and other empirical practitioners. Gerard gives a receipt for making a balsam of them in his Herbal; which, he says, a most pretious remedie for deep wounds, and those that are thorow the body; for the sinues that are prickt, or any wound made with a venomed weapon." (Johnson's Gerard, p. 541.) is fi. Ascyreia Chois. Prod. Hyp. Derivation. From a, not, and skuros, hard; that is to say, plants soft to the touch. Stamens numerous. A. Styles commonly 3. 1. H. ELA TUM Ait. The tall St. John's Wort. Identification. Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 2. vol. 3. p. 104.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 601. Engravings. Juss. Ann. du Mus., 3. p. 162. t. 17.; Wats. Dend. Brit., t. 85. Spec. Char. &c. Younger stems reddish. Leaves ovate-oblong, acute, dilated at the base, somewhat emarginate, with the margins somewhat revolute. Flowers corymbose. Peduncles bibracteate. Sepals ovate-oblong. (Don's Mill., i. p. 601.) Height 5 ft. A sub-evergreen shrub, native of North America, with yellow flowers in July and August. Introduced in 1762. Propagated by layers or division, and of the easiest culture in common garden soil. 2. H. HIRCI NUM L. The Goat-scented St. John's Wort. Engravings. Schkuhr. Handb. 3. t. 213. f. 3.; Wats. Dend. Brit., t. 87.; and our fig. 105. emarginate at the base, dilated, sessile, acute at the apex, 105 Varieties. H. h. 2 obtusifolium Dec. has blunter leaves than the original species, and is found on the mountains of Corsica, on humid rocks. H. h. 3 minus Wats. is a smaller plant than the other, figured in Dendrologia Britannica, t. 87. 3 H. GRANDIFLO`RUM Chois. Identification. Chois. Prod. Hyp., p. 38. t. 3.; Synonyme. H. canariénse Willd., not of Lin. Engravings. Chois. Prod. Hyp., t. 3. The large-flowered St. John's Wort. Spec. Char., &c. Stem round, reddish. Leaves ovate-oblong, cordate, somewhat clasping, acute at the apex, netted with pellucid veins. Flowers corymbose. Peduncles bibracteate. Calyx acutish, reflexed upon the peduncle after flowering, much shorter than the corolla. (Don's Mill., i. p. 602) A half-hardy evergreen shrub, from l'eneriffe in 1818, producing its fine large yellow flowers in July and August. Height 3 ft. It is commonly treated as a green-house plant; but, considering its native country, there can be no doubt that it would stand very well against a conservative wall. 4. H. FOLIO SUM Ait. The leafy St. John's Wort. Identification. Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 1. vol. 3. p. 104.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 602. Spec. Char., &c. Branches winged. Leaves sessile, oval-oblong, rather acute, finely perforated. Calyx 5. H. FLORIBUNDUM Ait. The abundant-flowered St. John's Wort. Identification. Ait. Hort. Kew., ed. 1. vol. 3. p. 104.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 602, 1 Spec. Char., &c. Stem round. Leaves sessile, lanceolate, numerous, without dots. Peduncles dilated, and somewhat compressed towards the apex. Calyx obtuse. Corolla and stamens marcescent. (Don's Mill., i. p. 602.) A deciduous undershrub, from the Canary Islands in 1779, producing its yellow flowers in August. Height 3 ft. It is usually treated as a green-house plant; but it is capable of resisting the winters of the climate of London, in a warm situation, with very little protection. 6. H. OLYMPICUM L. The Olympian St. John's Wort. Identification. Lin. Sp., 1102.; Sm. Ex. Bot., 2. p. 71.; Dec. Synonymes. H. móntis olýmpi Wheel. Itin., Ray'; H. orien. Engravings. Sm. Exot. Bot., 2. t. 96.; Bot. Mag., t. 1867.; and our fig. 106. Spec. Char., &c. Stem round. Leaves elliptical-lanceolate, rather acute, full of pellucid dots. Calyx ovate, acute. Peduncles bibracteate. Corolla and stamens withering. (Don's Mill., i. p. 602.) An interesting little shrub, with glaucous sessile leaves, native of Mount Olympus and China, introduced in 1706, and producing its yellow flowers from July to September. It grows to the height of from 1 ft. to 2 ft., and requires protection during winter. All the half-hardy species of Hypericum might be grown on a conical piece of rockwork, a sort of miniature Mount Olympus, in a warm sheltered part of the pleasure-ground or arboretum. The protection required in winter might be given with complete effect, and at very little expense, by resting a number of poles on the protruding points of the larger rocks or stones, and on these placing thatched hurdles, or even, in warm districts, a few spruce fir branches. 7. H. CANARIE'NSE L. The Canary Island St. John's Wort. Identification. Lin. Syst. p. 575.; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 544.; Don's Mill., 1. P. 602. Engraving. Lodd. Bot. Cab., 953. 106 Varieties. De Candolle notices two: H. c. triphyllum, and H. e. salicifolium. Spec. Char., &c. Stem bluntly quadrangular. Branches compressed. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute. Calyx ovate, obtuse. Styles 3-4, diverging. (Don's Mill., i. p. 602.) A neat little shrub, a native of the Canary Islands, introduced in 1699, and producing its yellow flowers from July to September. Height 4 ft. It is commonly kept in green-houses or frames; but, like most of the other plants from the Canary Islands and similar climates, it will endure a London winter in the open air against a wall, with the protection of litter or leaves over the ground, and a couple of mats over the top. B. Styles commonly 5. 8. H. CHINE'NSE L. The Chinese St. John's Wort. Identification. Lin. Amoen., 8. p. 323.; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 545.; and Don's Mill., 1. p. 602. Spec. Char., &c. Stem round. Leaves elliptical, obtuse, with a few black dots. Peduncles bibracteate. Calyx oblong, obtuse, beset with black dots. Styles collected together. (Don's Mill., i. p. 602.) A sub-evergreen shrub, a native of the East Indies and the Cape of Good Hope; introduced in 1753, and producing its yellow flowers from March to September. Height 3 ft. It is marked in the Catalogues as a green-house plant: it would, in all probability, endure the open air, with protection, during winter. It stood at Biel, in East Lothian, in 1825, in an exposed situation. A species bearing this name has stood against the wall in the garden of the London Horticultural Society, for four years, with very little protection. There is a species, named H. monogynum L., not of Miller, which is figured in Bot. Mag., t. 334., which appears to be different from this one. It is a native of Japan and China, and grows to the height of 3 ft. In Nepal, a species nearly allied to this (H. cérnuum Rox., H. speciòsum Wall.) is met with on hills at 3000 ft. of elevation. 9. H. CORDIFO`LIUM Chois. The heart-leaved St. John's Wort. Identification. Dec. Prod., 1. p. 545.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 602. Synonymes. H. bracteatum, and H. Lungùsum Ham. MS. in D. Don. Prod., p. 317. Spec. Char., &c. Stem round. Leaves elliptical, acute, coriaceous, smooth, somewhat stem-clasping, without dots; flower-bearing branches leafy below, crowded Bracteas ovate-cordate, acute. Sepals ovate, mucronate, without dots. Petals oblong, unequally sided, obliquely mucronulate. Stamens short. Styles unconnected, scarcely longer than the corolla. (Don's Mill., i. p. 602.) A sub-evergreen shrub from Nepal, in 1825, producing its yellow flowers from April to October. Height 2 ft. It is commonly kept in a frame, but would stand our winters, in a warm situation, with a very little protection. 10. H. PA'TULUM Thun. The spreading St. John's Wort. Identification. Thun. Jap., p. 295. t. 17.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 603. Spec. Char., &c. Stem round, purplish. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, acute, tapering to the base with revolute margins, without dots. Flowers corymbose. Styles recurved at the apex, scarcely longer than the stamens. Peduncles bibracteate. Sepals sub-orbicular, very obtuse. (Don's Mill., i. p. 605.) An evergreen shrub, a native of Japan and Nepal, introduced in 1823, and producing its yellow flowers from June to August. Height 6 ft. FF 11. H. KALMIA NUM Lam. Kalm's St. John's Wort. Identification. Lam. Dict., 4. p. 148.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 603. Spec. Char. &c. Branches tetragonal. Leaves linear-lanceolate. Flowers 3 to 7, in a terminal corymb. Sepals lanceolate, bluntish. (Don's Mill.,i. p. 603.) A sub-evergreen undershrub; a native of North America, in Pennsylvania and Virginia; introduced into England in 1759, and producing its yellow flowers in June and July. Height 3 ft. It was found by Mr. James M'Nab in great abundance in the neighbourhood of the Falls of Niagara, in dry places; and a variety of it (H. K. elongatum) was found in moist places in New Jersey. This variety has flowers somewhat smaller than those of the species, but they are equally rich in colour. (Ed. N. Phil. Journ., vol. xix. p. 38.) This species is ornamental, forming a very neat compact bush, and is in very general cultivation. American seeds may be procured, in London, at 6d. a packet, and plants at 9d. each; at Bollwyller, 1 franc; and at New York, 25 cents. J 12. H. URA'LUM Ham. The Urala St. John's Wort. Identification. D. Don Prod. Nep., p. 218.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 607. Spec. Char., &c. Branches compressed, 2-edged. Leaves elliptical, 13. H. CALYCI NUM L. The large-calyxed St. John's Wort. Identification. Lin. Mant., 106.; Wild., 3. p. 1442.; Hook. Scot., 221. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 546.; Smith's Eng. Fl., 3. p. 323.; and Don's Mill., 1. p. 603. Synonymes. Androsa`mum constantinopolitanum flore máximo Wheeler's Journey, 205.; the large flowered St. John's Wort; the large-flowering Tutsan; the terrestrial Sun; Aaron's Beard; Mille Pertuis à grandes Fleurs, Fr.; grossblumiger Johannis Kraut, Ger. Derivations. This species was called Androsa mum by the old writers on botany, on account of the tinge of red in different places on the stems, and the redness of the anthers, which were supposed to give it the appearance of being spotted with blood. It was called Constantinopolitan from its having been found near that city, in 1676, by Sir George Wheeler, Bart. The large size of its flowers is remarkable, and has given rise to most of its other names. The name of the Terrestrial Sun is very appropriate to the large golden flowers, with their long ray-like stamens, lying glittering on their bed of dark green shining leaves, which spread over the surface of the ground. The number and length of the stamens are, doubtless, also the origin of the name of Aaron's Beard. Engravings. Eng. Bot., v. 29. t. 2017.; Bot. Mag., t. 146.; Jacq. Frag., 10. t. 6. f. 4. Spec. Char. Stem tetragonal, dwarf. Leaves ovate, coriaceous, broad, full of pellucid dots. Flowers large, terminal, solitary. Sepals large, obovate, spreading; capsule nodding. (Don's Mill., i. p. 603.) A beautiful little evergreen, with shining dark green leaves, and bright golden flowers 2 in. or 3 in. in diameter, and having innumerable reddish tremulous anthers. Height from 1 ft. to 18 in. H. calycinum is a native of bushy places in the west of Ireland and Scotland. It is extremely valuable for covering banks, rockwork, or the surface of the ground in old shrubberies or picturesque woods, especially for the latter purpose, as it thrives perfectly well under the drip and shade of trees. The root creeps, and a small plant will soon extend itself in every direction, especially if the soil be light, so as to cover a great many square yards in a very short space of time. It is an excellent shelter for game. Plants may be had, in the London nurseries, at 6d. each. 14. H. BALEARICUM L. The Majorca St. John's Wort. Identification. Lin. Sp., 1101.; Don's Mill., 1. p. 603. Engraving. Curt. Bot. Mag., t. 137. Spec. Char. Stem quadrangular, warted. Leaves ovate, obtuse, rather stem-clasping. An evergreen shrub, with small warted leaves; native of the Island of Majorca; introduced in the year 1714; and producing its yellow flowers from March to September. Height 2 ft. It requires some protection during winter. stood the winter of 1825, in a sheltered situation, at Biel, in East Lothian. |