Part 76

=CAPSICUM= (from _kapto_, to bite; on account of the biting heat of the seeds and pericarp). ORD. _Solanaceæ_. Shrubs or sub-shrubs, rarely herbs. Peduncles extra-axillary, one-flowered. Leaves scattered, solitary, or twin, and quite entire. Many of the species, although possessing considerable beauty, are but rarely grown, either for decoration or for the use of their fruit; consequently, we confine our specific enumeration to the Common Capsicum, the Bird Pepper or Chili, and the Bell Pepper. The first two of these have long been in cultivation, for use either in a green state for pickles and for making Chili vinegar, or ripened and ground as Cayenne Pepper. Some sorts are exceedingly ornamental for greenhouse decoration in winter, if plants are well grown in rather small pots, and the fruit ripened under glass. The varieties producing small pods are the hottest, and consequently best suited for making Cayenne Pepper. These are generally called Chilies. All other varieties of Capsicum have a more or less pungent flavour, and those bearing larger pods are more profitable for use in a green state. The fruits of all are either red or yellow when ripe, and are of various sizes and shapes. Some are produced and stand erect on the upper side of the branches; others hang underneath. Fig. 364 represents hanging fruits of Long and Round Capsicums, the shapes of which are produced by both red and yellow varieties.

_Cultivation._ Being natives of tropical countries, Capsicums cannot always be depended upon to thoroughly ripen in the open air; but a good crop of green fruits may generally be obtained by preparing the plants early in the season, and planting out in a warm situation.

Sow the seeds in February or early in March, in pots or pans, placing them in heat; and so soon as the plants are large enough, pot off singly into 3in. pots, still keeping them in heat until well rooted. Place them into 6in. or 7in. pots before they become starved; and gradually harden off and plant out about 2ft. asunder, in June. The fruits ripen better if the plants are placed against a south wall and tacked on to it. The safest plan to obtain a crop of ripe fruits is to cultivate under glass. Pots of 7in. diameter are large enough. Rich soil must be used, and any spare frames are suitable in summer. Plenty of water and frequent syringings should be applied, as the plants are very liable to injury from red spider and other insects if this is in any way neglected. The fruits will keep some time after being ripe, but are never better than when fresh gathered; they may, however, be kept on the plants for a considerable period.

_Sorts._ Chili, Long Red, Long Yellow, Small Red Cayenne, Round Red, and Round Yellow. Good ornamental varieties are: Little Gem, a very dwarf variety, of comparatively recent introduction, covered with small, erect, red pods; and Prince of Wales, free fruiting, with hanging bright yellow pods.

=C. annuum= (annual). Common Capsicum. _fl._ white, solitary. June. Petioles glabrous. _fr._ oblong, pendulous, and erect, red or yellow, variable in shape. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. South America, 1548.

=C. baccatum.= Bird Pepper or Chili. _fl._ greenish; peduncles twin. June. _fr._ small, erect, almost globose. _l._ oblong, glabrous, as well as the petiole. Branches angular, striated. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. Tropical America, 1731. Greenhouse shrub.

=C. grossum= (large). Bell Pepper. _fl._ white. July. India, 1759.

=CAPSULAR.= Like a capsule.

=CAPSULE.= A dry dehiscent seed vessel or fruit.

=CARAGANA= (_Caragan_ is the name of _C. arborescens_ among the Monguls). Siberian Pea-tree. ORD. _Leguminosæ_. Very ornamental hardy deciduous trees or shrubs. Flowers usually yellow, axillary, either solitary or crowded, but always single on thin stalks. Leaves abruptly pinnate, the midrib ending in a bristle or spine; leaflets mucronate. They are well adapted for shrubberies, and are of the easiest culture in sandy soil. Propagated by cuttings, made of the roots, or by seeds; the low-growing shrubs by seeds and layers. Caraganas are generally increased by grafting on _C. arborescens_, which is easily raised from seed, sown when ripe or in spring.

=C. Altagana= (Altagana). _fl._ yellow; pedicels solitary. April to July. _l._ with six to eight pairs of glabrous, obovate-roundish, retuse leaflets; petiole unarmed. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Dahuria, 1789. Shrub.

=C. arborescens= (tree-like).* _fl._ pale or bright yellow; pedicels in fascicles. April, May. _l._ with four to six pairs of oval-oblong villous leaflets; petiole unarmed. Stipules spinescent. _h._ 15ft. to 20ft. Siberia, 1752. Tree. (B. M. 1886.)

=C. Chamlagu= (Chamlagu). _fl._ yellow, at length becoming reddish, large, pendulous; pedicels solitary. May. _l._ with two pairs of distant, oval, or obovate glabrous leaflets; stipules spreading, and, as well as the petioles, spinose. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. China, 1773. Shrub.

=C. frutescens= (woody).* _fl._ yellow, resupinate; pedicels solitary. April. _l._ with two pairs of leaflets, approximating the top of the petiole, obovate-cuneated; stipules membranous; petiole furnished with a short spine at the apex. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Siberia, 1752. Shrub. (S. B. F. G. 3, 227.) There are one or two varieties of this species.

=C. jubata= (bearded).* _fl._ white, suffused with red, few; pedicels solitary, very short. April. _l._ with four or five pairs of oblong-lanceolate, lanuginously-ciliated leaflets; stipules setaceous; petioles somewhat spinose. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. Siberia, 1796. Shrub. SYN. _Robinia jubata_. (L. B. C. 522.)

* * * * *

+--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Transcriber notes: | | | | P. 14. 't rminal' under Aciotis, changed to 'terminal'. | | P. 21. 'Ternstroemiaceoe' changed to 'Ternstroemiaceæ' | | P. 27. 'producing fronds', fronds is usually in italics. Changed. | | P. 27. 'A synonymn of A. venustum.', changed 'synonymn' | | to 'synonym'. | | P. 41. 'deeply chanelled', changed 'chanelled' to 'channelled'. | | P. 41. 'A. Wislizeni ... which is under 2ft. broad'; should 'broad'| | be 'long'? Left as a query. | | P. 49. A. Scorodoprasum. 'Europ' changed to 'Europe'. | | P. 53. A. ageratoides. 'receptable" changed to 'receptacle'. | | P. 87. 'surface is punctuate', changed 'punctuate' to 'punctuated'.| | P. 87. 'of less than than', taken out one 'than'. | | P. 134. A. umbrosum. 'laceolate' changed to 'lanceolate'. | | P. 162. 'Caraccas', changed to 'Caracas'. | | P. 171. 'browish when matured.', changed 'browish' to 'brownish'. | | P. 174. 'numerous arge round', changed 'arge' to 'large'. | | P. 190. 'part the day' changed to 'part of the day'. | | P. 190. 'Rio Janeiro, 1825.' changed to 'Rio de Janeiro, 1825.' | | P. 210. 'Caraccas', changed to 'Caracas'. | | P. 213. 'Syn. B Joinvillei, B. pitcairniæfolia.', changed 'Syn.' | | to 'Syns.' | | P. 222. 'There is a is a variety', removed extra 'is a'. | | P. 235. 'petioles sheating' changed to 'petioles sheathing'. | | P. 259. 'CAPSIDIUM' is 'CAMPSIDIUM' in another volume. Changed. | | Fixed various punctuation. | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+