Chapter M: A. S. Salm-Dyck. Monographia generum Aloes et Mesembryanthemi (23)

=BOILERS.= These are very important articles in all gardens where there are glass houses, and the best should always be selected. They are made in cast and wrought iron, both of which have their special advantages and disadvantages. The former are less liable to burn through when encrusted with any deposit from the water, but will crack with sudden changes of temperature, by reason of the granular form of the metal not allowing gradual contraction; the latter may burn through where there is any deposit of mud or other matter, but they will not crack, and will stand a greater pressure than those made of cast metal. It is, however, the better plan to use Boilers of wrought iron, as, with careful usage, they are less liable to break down in hard frosts than are the others. As the value of the plants, as well as that of the Boiler, has to be considered, should such a contingency occur, it is certainly advisable to reduce all risks to a minimum; and as the average life of a Boiler is from ten to fifteen years, a slightly larger first cost is not of very serious moment. The forms of Boilers are very diverse, and, in some of the patented forms, complicated. But, whatever the shape, the following points are essential: A clear and unrestricted waterway of not less than 2in. in thickness; the greatest exposure of surface to the direct action of the fire; a sufficient fire space; and a fire-bar area calculated to supply enough fresh air to the fire to support thorough combustion. The forms generally used for horticultural work are the following, or some modifications of them; and, however grand the name, their chief value consists in the attested heating capacity at a given cost: The Saddle Boiler, which is made of various sizes, with or without check ends, cross tubes, and other devices for increasing the heating surface, and also of a tubular form; the Upright Cylinder (a vertical section of which is shown in Fig. 260); the Upright Tubular Cylinder; the Horizontal Tubular; and the Cornish or Horizontal Cylinder. Combinations of the various forms, and complicated patterns of different kinds, are made for particular purposes; but in no case should large Boilers be used, unless they are recommended, by one competent to judge, as suitable for the purpose they are needed to fulfil. In every case, it is necessary that the Boiler should be fixed in a proper manner. It is also good policy to have Boilers about 30, or even 50 per cent., more powerful than is actually required, when they are new, as, from various causes, their heating power falls off in a year or two in many places; and, under ordinary work, it is not desirable to stimulate the action in order to command sufficient heat. There is no doubt that, for general purposes, some modification of the Saddle or Cylinder Boiler is by far the best, all things duly considered; but it is impossible to give any practical advice without a thorough knowledge of the requirements of any particular place. Gas Boilers are also useful for small places. These are made in many forms, and are, as a rule, in the shape of a cylinder, with a coned inside, against which the flames play. Some Gas Boilers have also a superheater attached; this exhausts the heat from the air which has passed through the Boiler. Another good form is made of horizontal tubes, which contain the water, the flames playing over and amongst them. An atmospheric burner of approved construction should be used where gas is the heating power. A sufficient supply of gas should be assured by using supply pipes of a good size. Care should be taken to keep these pipes free from water, and protected from frost by silicate cotton lagging, or some other good non-conductor. Except for very small places, however, gas apparatus is almost useless, and will never supersede fuel Boilers. For other particulars regarding Boilers, _see_ =Heating= and =Stoking=.

=BOIS-PERDRIX.= _See_ =Heisteria=.

=BOLBOPHYLLUM.= _See_ =Bulbophyllum=.

=BOLETUS= (from _bolos_, a mass; in reference to its massy or globular form). ORD. _Fungi_. The only species of this rather large genus demanding mention is _B. edulis_ (see Fig. 261), which is considered an excellent article of food. It is easily distinguished, and is often of large size and somewhat unshapely; the pileus is usually of a dusky yellow or brownish hue, but sometimes brighter and more of a chestnut colour; the flesh is white, and does not change to a blue colour when cut (this is a very important characteristic, and should always be noticed). It is a species common in most districts, usually growing in woods, and appearing chiefly in the autumn.

=BOLEUM= (from _bolos_, a ball; in reference to the shape of the seed-pods). ORD. _Cruciferæ_. An ornamental, hardy, evergreen shrub, well adapted for rockwork, in ordinary soil. It requires slight protection in winter if planted in very exposed situations. Propagated by seed, sown in a pot, in spring, and placed in a frame, or in the open border during summer.

=B. asperum= (rough).* _fl._ cream-coloured; racemes erect,
elongated; pedicels very short, the lower ones bracteate. April.
_l._ alternate, oblong, linear; lower ones somewhat divided. A
suffruticose, erect, branched plant, hispid from stiff hairs. _h._
6in. to 1ft. France. 1818.

=BOLLEA.= _See_ =Zygopetalum=.

=BOLTED.= A term used in reference to plants that have prematurely run to seed.

=BOLTONIA= (named after J. B. Bolton, an English professor of botany). ORD. _Compositæ_. A genus of rather pretty hardy herbaceous perennials. Flower-heads with white or purplish rays. Leaves pale green, lanceolate, sessile. They thrive in common garden soil. Propagated by divisions of the roots, in March.

=B. asteroides= (Aster-like).* _fl.-heads_ flesh-coloured,
stellate, disposed in a rather large terminal panicle. August. _l._
all entire, somewhat broadly lanceolate, narrowed at both ends.
_h._ 2ft. North America, 1758. (B. M. 2554.)

=B. glastifolia= (woad-leaved).* _fl.-heads_ pink. September. _l._,
lower ones serrated. _h._ 1-1/2ft. North America, 1758. (B. M.
2381.)

=BOMAREA= (derivation of name doubtful). ORD. _Amaryllidaceæ_. A genus of handsome half-hardy twiners, closely allied to _Alströmeria_, from which it is chiefly distinguished by its twining habit and some difference in the capsule. They are of comparatively easy culture, thriving in a compost of peat, leaf mould, loam, and sand, with good drainage. Manure water should be given during the season of growth. Although they make fine pot plants, their full beauty is only developed when planted out in the conservatory or greenhouse border. Propagated by seeds, or by careful divisions of the underground stem. In making a division, it is necessary to observe that the part taken has some roots by which to live till new ones are formed. It should be potted at first, and may, when established, be planted out or shifted on. Seeds may be raised in a warm house without difficulty. They germinate in a few weeks; and when the young plants are 2in. or 3in. high, they should be placed separately in small pots, shifting them on as necessary, or planting them out. In favoured southern localities, several species have proved hardy, but they are much the best when grown in a greenhouse.

=B. acutifolia Ehrenbergiana= (Ehrenberg's acute-leaved). _fl._
undulate, outer segments deep orange, the inner ones paler and
spotted. Spring. _l._ lanceolate acute, smooth. Mexico, 1878. (B.
M. 6444).

=B. Caldasiana= (Caldas's).* _fl._ orange yellow, spotted crimson.
_l._ ovate-lanceolate, acute. Peruvian Andes, 1863.

=B. Carderi= (Carder's).* _fl._ 2-1/2in. long by 1-1/8in. in
breadth at the widest part, regularly bell-shaped, with six
segments, the three outer rose-coloured, the three inner nearly
equal in length, crenulate, and spotted with purplish-brown;
inflorescence pendulous, and consisting of a large terminal
umbellate cyme, surrounded at the base by a series of crowded
leaves. _l._ oblong lanceolate, acuminate, about 7in. by 2-3/4in.
Columbia, 1876. See Fig. 262, for which we are indebted to Mr. Bull.

=B. chontalensis= (Chontalese). _fl._ 1-1/2in. long,
sub-campanulate, obtusely trigonous; outer segments thick, fleshy,
wavy, rose-red, with a few brown spots round the margin at the tip,
very convex; inner segments a little shorter, pale yellow blotched
with brown; umbels surrounded by a whorl of leaves, and composed
of several peduncles, each bearing four to six nodding flowers.
August. _l._ lanceolate or ovate oblong, acuminate. Nicaragua,
1871. (B. M. 5927).

=B. conferta= (dense-flowered).* A synonym of _B. patococensis_.

=B. edulis= (edible). _fl._, outer segments rose, green tipped;
inner spotted with rose. St. Domingo, &c. One of the oldest species
in cultivation. The tubers are said by Tussac to be eaten in St.
Domingo, like those of the Jerusalem Artichoke. See Fig. 263.

=B. frondea= (leafy). _fl._ 2in. long, tubulate-campanulate; outer
segments narrow, oblong, yellow; inner segments 1/2in. longer than
the outer ones, canary yellow, spotted with red; cymes umbellate,
many-flowered, about 8in. across, base leafy. _l._ lanceolate,
acuminate. Bogota, 1881. (G. C. n. s. 17, p. 669.)

=B. oligantha= (few-flowered).* _fl._ regularly funnel-shaped,
about 1in. long; outer segments slightly shorter than the inner,
oblanceolate, under 1/4in. abroad, obtuse, unspotted, reddish on
the outside, yellow within; one or two to an umbel, on simple,
flexuous, glabrous pedicels, about 1in. long. _l._ long, acute,
about 2in. long, bright green on the upper surface, ciliated on the
ribs beneath. Peru, 1877. See Fig. 264.

=B. patococensis= (Patococha). _fl._ 2in. to 2-1/2in. long,
elongate-funnel-shaped; the three outer segments ovate lanceolate,
about one-fourth shorter than the inner segments, both of a rich
crimson colour; numerously borne in drooping, contracted tufts at
the ends of the shoots; peduncles about 2in. to 2-1/2in. long,
intermixed at the base with broadly ovate-acute, leafy bracts.
August and September. _l._ scattered, shortly stalked, broadly
lanceolate, tail pointed. Bogota, 1881. (G. C. n. s. 17, p. 187.)

=B. salsilla= (Salsilla). _fl._ purple, about 1/2in. long, the two
inner segments having a darker spot at the base, and all of them
tinged with green towards the points; collected into a terminal
umbel. June. _l._ few, lanceolate. South America, 1806. This has
proved quite hardy under various conditions.

=B. Shuttleworthii= (Shuttleworth's).* _fl._, perianth about 2in.
long, funnel-shaped or elongate bell-shaped; segments nearly equal,
oblong acute, outer ones orange vermilion, slightly tinged with
green and dotted with small dark spots at the tips; inner ones more
acutely pointed, canary yellow, with a red midrib, and green with
dark spots at the tips; cymes umbellate, pendulous. _l._ ovate
lanceolate, 5in. to 6in. by 2in., glabrous. Bogota, 1881. (G. C. n.
s. 17, p. 77.)

=B. Williamsii= (Williams's).* _fl._ rose-coloured, about 2in.
long, elongate funnel shape; disposed in a compound umbellate cyme.
_l._ lanceolate, very acute, and tapering to a very short twisted
petiole. New Grenada, 1882.

=BOMBACEÆ.= A division of _Sterculiaceæ_.

=BOMBAX= (from _bombax_, one of the Greek names for cotton; the pods are filled with a fine silky substance like cotton, but which it is impossible to spin into thread, in consequence of the edges being perfectly smooth). Silk Cotton Tree. ORD. _Malvaceæ_. A genus of large soft-wooded stove trees. Flowers scarlet or white, large, usually rising laterally from the trunk or branches, either singly or in clusters. They grow best in a rich loamy soil. Cuttings, not too ripe, taken off at a joint, placed in sand under a bell glass, in moist heat, will root readily; but plants raised from seeds brought from their natural habitats make finer trees.

=B. Ceiba= (Ceiba). _fl._ pale red, large. _l._ palmate, with five
leaflets. _fr._ turbinate, concave at the apex. _h._ 100ft. South
America, 1692.

=BOMBYX NEUSTRIA.= _See_ =Lackey Moth=.

=BONA-NOX.= _See_ =Ipomæa Bona-Nox=.

=BONAPARTEA.= _See_ =Tillandsia=.

=BONAPARTEA JUNCEA.= A synonym of _Agave geminiflora_.

=BONATEA.= (in honour of M. Bonato, a distinguished Italian botanist, and a Professor of Botany at Padua). ORD. _Orchideæ_. A handsome terrestrial stove orchid, allied to _Habenaria_, and requiring similar culture.

=B. speciosa= (showy).* _fl._ white, galeate; petals bipartite;
raceme many-flowered, compact; bracts cucullate, acuminate. August.
_l._ oblong, sub-undulate. Stem leafy. _h._ 2ft. Cape of Good Hope,
1820. (B. M. 2926; L. B. C. 284.)

=BONGARDIA.= (named after Heinrich Gustav Bongard, a German botanist). ORD. _Berberideæ_. A very pretty hardy tuberous-rooted perennial, requiring a sandy soil, and good drainage, with protection at all seasons from excessive wet, otherwise it will rot. It should be carefully planted in a compost of loam, peat, leaf soil, and sand, in equal proportions, and covered with a handlight.

=B. Rauwolfii= (Rauwolf's). _fl._ golden yellow, on pyramidal
branched panicles; stamens and petals nearly equal in length.
May. _l._ radical, pinnate; leaflets sessile, oval-oblong, three
to five-cleft at the apex, glaucous, each with a dark purple
blotch at the base. _h._ 6in. Syria, Persia, 1740. SYN. _Leontice
Chrysogonum_. (B. M. 6244.)

=BONNAYA= (named after Bonnay, a German botanist). ORD. _Scrophulariaceæ_. A small genus of usually glabrous, rarely pilose, slender, creeping or erect, annual, biennial, or perennial stove plants, almost unknown in cultivation. Flowers axillary, opposite, or alternate from abortion, usually pedicellate, the upper ones sometimes racemose, pinkish, or blue. Leaves opposite, quite entire, or toothed. They thrive in a rich sandy loam. The annual species are propagated by seeds, the others by divisions and cuttings.

=BONNETIA= (commemorative of Charles Bonnet, a French naturalist, who wrote some botanical papers in 1754). ORD. _Ternstrœmiaceæ_. A genus of elegant middle-sized stove trees or shrubs. Flowers large, terminal; peduncles one or many-flowered. Leaves scattered, exstipulate, coriaceous, entire, one-nerved, marked with transverse veins, sub-sessile, narrowed to the base. They thrive well in a mixture of loam and peat. Cuttings of firm young shoots will root if placed in sand under a hand glass, in a moderate heat.

=B. sessilis= (stalkless). _fl._ purplish, terminal. _l._ oblong,
coriaceous, entire. _h._ 15ft. Guiana, 1819.

=BORAGE.= _See_ =Borago officinalis=.

=BORAGINACEÆ.= A large order of herbs or shrubs, having spirally-coiled inflorescence; corolla usually regular and five-lobed, with an imbricated æstivation; throat generally hairy; stamens five, inserted in the corolla. Leaves alternate, rough. Among other genera belonging to this order may be named _Anchusa_, _Borago_, _Cynoglossum_, _Echium_, _Lithospermum_, and _Myosotis_.

=BORAGO= (derivation very uncertain; probably a corruption of some eastern name). Borage. ORD. _Boraginaceæ_. A genus of hardy herbaceous perennials or annuals, excellently adapted for naturalising in dry stony places. Flowers blue, panicled, drooping; corolla rotate; throat furnished with emarginate vaulted processes; anthers distinct, oblong or lanceolate, awned, fixed by the inner side, conniving into a cone. Nuts four, one-celled, turbinate, fixed to the bottom of the calyx. Leaves oblong or lanceolate. All the species are easily cultivated, thriving in any common soil. Propagated by divisions, in spring, or by striking the young cuttings in a cold frame. They may also be raised from seed, which should be sown from March to May, in any good garden soil, and the plants, when large enough, thinned out to 1ft. or more apart. In hot weather, Borage is generally in demand for claret cup and other drinks.

=B. laxiflora= (loose-flowered).* _fl._ on long pedicels,
racemose, drooping; corolla pale blue; segments ovate, bluntish,
erectly spreading. May to August. _l._ oblong, and rough from
strigæ; radical ones rosulate; cauline ones half stem-clasping.
Stem decumbent, many from the same root, hispid from retrograde
bristles. Corsica, 1813. (B. M. 1789.)

=B. longifolia= (long-leaved).* _fl._ disposed in a terminal
bracteate panicle; corolla blue; segments ovate, acute, spreading.
July and August. _l._ linear-lanceolate, scabrous and downy
beneath; cauline ones half stem-clasping. _h._ 1ft. Numidia, 1825.

=B. officinalis= (officinal).* Common Borage. _fl._ blue, purple,
or white; segments of the corolla limb ovate, acute, spreading.
June to September. _l._, lower ones obovate, attenuated at the
base; cauline ones oblong, sessile, sub-cordate at the base. _h._
1ft. to 2ft. Britain. This is the kind most cultivated in gardens
for flavouring. See Fig. 265. (Sy. En. B. 36.)

=BORASSUS= (a name applied by Linnæus to the spathe of the Date Palm). ORD. _Palmaceæ_. A very small genus of stove trees, containing two noble species, which are distinguished by unisexual flowers, produced upon distinct plants, the males being borne in dense branching catkins, and the females on simple, or, more rarely, slightly branched spikes. Fruit very large, brown, three-seeded. Leaves fan-shaped, with spiny petioles. Trunks unarmed, often 70ft. high. They may be grown in good fibrous loam, leaf mould, and sand, mainly the former. Increased by seeds only, which require to be sown in strong bottom heat. Rarely seen in cultivation.

=B. æthiopicum= (African). _l._ nearly circular, and plaited,
supported upon stout petioles, 6ft. to 7ft. long. Western Tropical
Africa. This handsome, but rare, species is remarkable for the
bulging out or swelling in its stem, near the middle, or about
two-thirds of its height from the ground.

=B. flabelliformis= (fan-shaped).* _l._ nearly circular, and
plaited like a partially-open fan, with about seventy ribs, which
radiate from a common centre. _h._ 30ft. India, 1771.

=BORBONIA= (named after Gaston de Bourbon, Duke of Orleans, son of Henry IV. of France, a great lover and patron of botany). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A genus of very ornamental greenhouse evergreen shrubs, natives of the Cape of Good Hope. Flowers yellow, disposed in terminal heads, axillary. Leaves simple, amplexicaul, alternate, exstipulate, pungent. They thrive well in a mixture of peat, loam, and sand, with good drainage. Cuttings, half-ripened, obtained in April, will root freely in sandy soil if placed under a bell glass, in a cool house.

=B. barbata= (bearded).* _fl._ sessile, villous on the outside.
July. _l._ narrow, lanceolate, many-nerved, complicated,
ciliately-bearded, and very much acuminated; branches diverging.
_h._ 3ft. to 4ft. 1823.

=B. cordata= (heart-shaped). _fl._, corolla densely villous, with
the vexillum obcordate. July. _l._ cordate, many-nerved, quite
entire, glabrous. Branches villous. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. 1759.

=B. crenata= (crenated).* _fl._ less villous than in the rest of
the species. July. _l._ cordate, roundish, acute, denticulated,
many nerved and reticulated between the nerves, and are, as well as
the branches, glabrous. _h._ 3ft. to 6ft. 1774. (B. M. 274.)

=B. lanceolata= (lance-shaped). _fl._ densely villous. July. _l._
ovate-lanceolate, pungent, many nerved, quite entire, sessile,
glabrous, as well as the stem. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. 1752. (L. B. C.
81.)

=B. ruscifolia= (Ruscus-leaved). _fl._ sparingly villous. July.
_l._ cordate, many-nerved, minutely ciliated, but are otherwise
glabrous as well as the branches. _h._ 2ft. to 4ft. 1790. (B. M.
2128.)

=BORDERS, FLOWER.= Small beds, or a continuous bed, of greater length than width, skirting a wall or shrubbery, and containing plants of a heterogeneous character. They should be slightly raised above the surrounding level, and thoroughly drained. In the first preparation of the Border, it is most essential to deeply dig or trench the ground, thoroughly incorporating a large amount of well-bodied manure; and if the soil is very stiff, wood ashes or coarse sand should be well worked in with the manure. The best time to plant such Borders is in early autumn or in March.

Where, as is frequently the case, the Borders are only 2ft. or 3ft. wide, not more than two rows of plants, either in groups or singly, will be allowable. The tall plants or shrubs should constitute the background, with dwarfer subjects in front; but formal arrangements must be avoided. The object should be to secure a continuous succession of flowers. This would entail some little trouble at first, which, however, would be amply repaid by results.

No hard-and-fast rules can be laid down as to the arrangement of the plants, which depends on individual taste and means; but the best results are obtained when the border is mainly made up of hardy herbaceous perennials, as permanent occupants, assisted by liberal quantities of summer bedding plants, such as Dahlias, Fuchsias, Geraniums, Heliotrope, Tropæolums, &c., as well as many hardy annuals and biennials. By this means, a very varied and beautiful display may be maintained, especially if bulbs are used for early spring effect, such as Narcissi, Scillas, Snowdrops, Tulips, &c. Of course, the herbaceous perennials should be selected with much care, all weedy subjects being avoided, and variety in colour and time of flowering secured. Anything like a full list of these would occupy too much space for repetition here, but the following will be found very showy and useful: Achilleas, Aconitums, Anemones, Aquilegias, Armerias, Asters, Campanulas, Carnations and Picotees, Delphiniums, Dodecatheons, Doronicums, Fritillarias, Funkias, Gaillardias, Geraniums, Geums, Hollyhocks, Iberises, Irises, Liliums, Pæonies, Papavers, Pyrethrums, double and single, Ranunculus, Trolliuses, &c.

=BORDERS, FRUIT.= These should be well drained, and if not naturally so, the soil should be excavated from 3ft. to 5ft. deep, in order to form a bottom of stones, pieces of brick, clinkers, &c. Where it is convenient, draining pipes should be added, if an outfall in the vicinity can be secured. The base of the Border should be sloped to the front, where the pipes should be laid, and the bottom covered with draining material, thereby effectually preventing the fruit trees rooting deep, which is detrimental to healthy growth. Gross-feeding vegetables or flowers should not be grown on the surface, but shallow-rooting crops will generally do no harm. Many advocate the surface being kept free from crops of any sort, simply letting it be freely exposed; whilst others equally as strenuously condemn this plan. Where necessary, chalk or some other mineral constituent of good soil which is naturally absent, may be added; but much animal manure is rarely required. The depth and width of Border may vary for different fruit trees, but efficient drainage is in all cases important.

=BORECOLE= (_Brassica oleracea fimbriata_). An important division of the Brassica tribe, often cultivated in gardens under the name of Kale. It comes in very useful when hard weather has rendered cabbages, &c., unfit for use, as it endures cold better than most other green vegetables. Some are also grown as ornamental foliaged plants. Like all other plants of a similar description, they require rich soil, and they should be put out in June or early in July, as it is almost useless to plant this kind of vegetable after the middle of the latter month. To obtain the best results, the ground should be deeply dug and well manured; but it must not be full of crude manure at planting time, or it will make the plants too tender and succulent in wet seasons, with the result that the first sharp frost would cause them to rot. Good hard-stemmed plants are the kinds most needed, especially for crops required in spring, when green vegetables are scarce. Cultivation: Early in April, and again a month later for succession, the seeds should be sown thinly in nursery beds, not covering them too deeply. The soil should be in a friable condition, and it is an advantage if the first beds be made under a south wall. As soon as the seedlings appear, if they are too thick, they should be thinned, as those which are drawn up weak and spindly are useless. When large enough, they should be carefully planted out, choosing showery weather, if possible, for the operation. If it is necessary to plant them in dry weather, they must be well watered-in. The rows should be from 2ft. to 3ft. apart, according to the variety, and the plants 2ft. apart in the rows; or, if potatoes are planted wide apart, the Borecole may be arranged between them. Dead leaves must be cleared away from time to time, but no green ones should be broken off. When the tops are cut for use, the stems should not be denuded of foliage, as they will soon break again and form successional crops. The plants must be kept free from weeds. After April, the Kales are of little use; the stems may therefore be pulled up, and the ground planted with some other crop. They all require the same treatment, and at their various seasons come in equally useful.

_Sorts._ The distinct forms are somewhat limited, but being largely cultivated on the Continent as well as all parts of Britain on account of its hardy nature, the varieties of Borecole receive a large number of names that are either synonymous with, or indistinct from, a few well-known types. Dwarf Green Curled or Scotch is probably the best and most grown; other good hardy sorts are Asparagus Kale (this name is applied to several different kinds, the best one being in use very late in spring), Buda, Cottagers', Dwarf Purple, Imperial Hearting, Ragged Jack, and Tall Green Curled. Melville's Variegated and Variegated Borecole, amongst others, have fine ornamental foliage.

=BORONIA= (named after Francis Boroni, an Italian servant of Dr. Sibthorp, who perished from an accident at Athens; he collected specimens of many of those plants which are figured in the "Flora Græca"). ORD. _Rutaceæ_. Very elegant and useful shrubs, requiring similar treatment to ordinary greenhouse hard-wooded subjects, and much aided with a little extra heat in spring, when breaking into growth. Flowers pretty, pink-purplish, or white; peduncles terminal, but usually axillary on the extreme branches, one to many-flowered; pedicels furnished at the base and middle with two opposite, short bracts, jointed, commonly dilated under the calyx. Leaves opposite, simple, or impari-pinnate, entire, or a little serrulated, full of pellucid dots. They should be placed out of doors from July to the middle of September; the most convenient place for them is in pits, as there are then greater facilities for protecting them from heavy rains and thunderstorms. When first put out, Boronias should not be fully exposed, but in the course of a week they may remain open to the full influence of both sun and air. Potting should be performed once a year, as soon as the top growth ceases, as the roots then extend themselves in preparation for their next year's functions. The best compost for them is one of peat and maiden loam in equal parts, and about one-sixth sharp silver sand. Many cultivators, however, prefer a compost consisting of good fibry peat and silver sand, together with some pieces of charcoal, smaller or larger, according to the size of the pots used. The soil should be rammed firmly in the pots, which must be well drained. The leading shoots should be pinched, to ensure good bushy specimens. Propagation may be effected by young cuttings, or those made from the half-ripened wood; these should be put into a thoroughly drained pot of sandy soil, with 1in. of sand on the surface, and covered with a bell glass, which must be frequently taken off and wiped dry. When in the cutting state, water must be very carefully given around the rim of the pot, without taking off the glass. If placed in a temperature of about 50deg., and shaded from bright noonday sun, they soon root, when they may be potted off singly into small pots, and plunged in sawdust, or cocoa-nut fibre refuse, in which situation but little water is needed. Pinching repeatedly, when young, is the only means to secure good ultimate growth. Air must be given on all possible opportunities.

=B. alata= (winged). _fl._ pale rose-colour, small; peduncles
dichotomous, usually three-flowered; bracts fringed. May. _l._,
leaflets three to five pairs, or more, crenate, revolute, pilose on
the nerves beneath, as well as the rachis. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft. New
Holland, 1823. (L. B. C. 1833.)

=B. anemonifolia= (Anemone-leaved). _fl._ pink; peduncles axillary,
solitary, one-flowered. May. _l._ stalked, trifid; segments narrow,
wedge-shaped, furnished with two or three teeth at the apex, or
quite entire. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. New Holland, 1824. (P. M. B. 9,
123.)

=B. crenulata= (crenulate).* _fl._ red, small, with a fringed
calyx; pedicels axillary and terminal, one-flowered. July. _l._
obovate, mucronulate, crenulated. _h._ 1ft. to 4ft. King George's
Sound. (B. M. 3915.)

=B. denticulata= (finely-toothed). _fl._ rose-coloured; bracts
deciduous; peduncles corymbose. March to August. _l._ linear,
retuse, toothleted, terminated by a small point. _h._ 2ft. to 6ft.
King George's Sound, 1823. (B. R. 1000.)

=B. Drummondi= (Drummond's).* _fl._ pretty rosy pink, freely
produced during spring and summer. _l._ pinnatifid. _h._ 2ft. New
Holland. A very pretty species, with a slender but compact habit of
growth. There is a white-flowered variety of this species (F. d. S.
9, 881.)

=B. elatior= (tallest).* _fl._ pendulous, rosy carmine, very
fragrant, disposed in long dense clusters along the ends of the
branches. May. _l._ very prettily pinnately cut into linear
segments. _h._ 4ft. Western Australia, 1874. (B. M. 6285.)

=B. ledifolia= (Ledum-leaved). _fl._ red; peduncles axillary,
one-flowered, each bearing two bracts in the middle. March. _l._
linear-lanceolate, quite entire, downy beneath. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft.
New Holland, 1814. (P. M. B. 8, 123.)

=B. megastigma= (large-stigma).* _fl._ numerous, axillary,
fragrant, drooping, 1/2in. in diameter, sub-globose, campanulate;
petals nearly orbicular, concave, maroon purple outside, and
yellow within. _l._ sessile, pinnate, with three to five narrow
linear rigid leaflets. _h._ 1ft. Of slender habit, with twiggy
branches. South-western Australia, 1873. See Fig. 266.

=B. pinnata= (pinnate).* _fl._ pink, with a scent like that of
Hawthorn; peduncles dichotomous. February to May. _l._, leaflets
two, three or four pairs, linear, acute, quite smooth. _h._ 1ft. to
3ft. New Holland, 1794. (B. M. 1763.)

=B. polygalæfolia= (Polygala-leaved). _fl._ red; peduncles
axillary, solitary, one-flowered. March to July. _l._
linear-lanceolate, quite entire, opposite, alternate, and three in
a whorl. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. Port Jackson, 1824.

=B. serrulata= (serrulate).* _fl._ of a deep rose colour, very
fragrant; peduncles aggregate, terminal. July. _l._ trapeziform,
acute, serrulated in front, smooth, full of glandular dots. _h._
1ft. to 6ft. Port Jackson, 1816. (B. R. 842.)

=B. tetrandra= (four-stamened). _fl._ pale purple; pedicels short,
one-flowered. May. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets four to five
pairs, linear, obtuse, smooth; branches pilose. _h._ 1ft. to 4ft.
New Holland, 1824. (P. M. B. 16, 227.)

=BORRERIA= (named after William Borrer, F.L.S., a profound botanist and cryptogamist). ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. A large genus of stove herbs or sub-shrubs, now referred to _Spermacoce_. Flowers small, white, rarely blue, disposed in verticillate heads, in the axils of the leaves, or on the tops of the branches, rarely cymose or corymbose. Leaves opposite, or the young ones disposed in fascicles in the axils of the old ones, and therefore appearing verticillate; stipules joining with the petioles, more or less sheathing, fringed by many bristles. Stems and branches usually tetragonal. The species are of easy culture, thriving in a light soil. Cuttings of the perennial kinds strike root readily in the same kind of soil, in heat. The annual kinds require a similar treatment to other tender annuals.

=B. stricta= (straight). A dwarf shrub, but closely allied to the
next species. Porto Rico.

=B. verticillata= (whorled-flowered). _fl._ white. July. _l._
linear lanceolate, acuminated, opposite, but appearing verticillate
from the fascicles of young leaves in the axils. _h._ 2ft. West
Indies, 1732.

=BOSCIA= (named after Louis Bosc, a French professor of agriculture). SYN. _Podoria_. ORD. _Capparidaceæ_. A small genus of stove plants, requiring a soil of lumpy, fibry loam and peat. Propagated by cuttings of firm wood, placed in sand, under a glass, in heat.

=B. senegalensis= (Senegal). _fl._ white, small, apetalous,
corymbose. _h._ 3ft. Senegal, 1824. An unarmed evergreen shrub. (L.
E. M. 395.)

=BOSSIÆA= (named after M. Bossier Lamartinière, a French botanist, who accompanied the unfortunate La Peyrouse round the world). ORD. _Leguminosæ_. A genus of elegant Australian greenhouse shrubs. Flowers yellow, axillary and solitary, the base of the vexillum or the keel generally blotched or veined with purple. Leaves simple, of various forms. A mixture of turfy loam, leaf mould, peat, and sand, with very free drainage, suits these plants best. Half-ripened cuttings will root freely if placed in a pot of sand with a bell glass over them, in a cool house. Seeds should be sown, in March, on a slight hotbed.

=B. cinerea= (ashy-grey). _fl._ yellow, the vexillum furnished with
a purple circle at the base, and the keel dark purple. May. _l._
nearly sessile, cordate acute, ending in a spiny mucrone, scabrous
above, but pilose on the nerves beneath, with recurved margins.
Branches terete, crowded with leaves, vinous. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft.
1824. SYNS. _B. cordifolia_, _B. tenuicaulis_. (B. M. 3895.)

=B. cordifolia= (heart-leaved). A synonym of _B. cinerea_.

=B. disticha= (two-ranked).* _fl._ yellowish-red; peduncles
solitary, axillary, one-flowered, longer than the leaves. March to
May. _l._ distichous, ovate, obtuse. Young branches terete. _h._
1-1/2ft. Swan River, 1840. (B. R. 1841, 55.)

=B. ensata= (sword-shaped). _fl._ yellowish, with the back and
base of the vexillum of a brownish orange-purple colour; keel
brownish-purple. April. Branches flat, linear, leafless, toothed,
the teeth bearing the flowers; upper bracts distant from the lower
ones, shorter than the pedicel. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1825. (S. F. A.
51.)

=B. foliosa= (leafy). _fl._ yellow and orange. May to June. _l._
alternate, small, orbicular, retuse, scabrous, with revolute
margins, silky beneath; stipules permanent, hooked, longer than the
petioles. Branches straight, terete, villous. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft.
1824.

=B. lenticularis= (lentil-leaved). A synonym of _B. rhombifolia_.

=B. linnæoides= (Linnæa-like).* _fl._ yellow; keel dark brown;
corolla about twice the length of the calyx; pedicels solitary
one-flowered, elongated. May. _l._ elliptic, mucronate. Branches
terete, prostrate, puberulous. 1824. A procumbent shrub.

=B. linophylla= (Flax-leaved).* _fl._ orange and purple. July to
August. _l._ linear, with recurved margins. Branches compressed,
leafy. _h._ 1ft. to 4ft. 1803. (B. M. 2491.)

=B. microphylla= (small-leaved). _l._ cuneiformly obcordate,
glabrous. Branches terete, leafy, spinescent; young branches rather
compressed and pubescent. _h._ 1ft. to 2ft. 1803. (L. B. C. 656.)

=B. rhombifolia= (diamond-leaved).* _fl._ yellow, the vexillum
having a dark red zonate mark at the base; wings red at the base;
keel brownish-purple. April. _l._ rhomboidal-orbicular, somewhat
emarginate and mucronate. Branches terete; branchlets compressed,
leafy. _h._ 1ft. to 3ft. 1820. SYN. _B. lenticularis_. (L. B. C.
1238.)

=B. rotundifolia= (round-leaved). _l._ roundish, or broadly
obovate, somewhat mucronate, flat, four to five lines long and five
to six broad. Branches and branchlets leafy, compressed. _h._ 1ft.
to 2ft. 1824.

=B. scolopendrium= (plank-plant). _fl._ yellow, with the back of
the vexillum and keel brownish-red. May. _l._ (when present) ovate
and smooth. Branches flat, linear, leafless, toothed, with the
teeth bearing the flowers; keel naked; superior bracts permanent,
imbricate, equal in length to the peduncles. _h._ 3ft. to 10ft.
1792. (B. M. 1235.)

=B. tenuicaulis= (slender-stemmed). Synonymous with _B. cinerea_.

=BOSWELLIA= (named after Dr. Boswell, formerly of Edinburgh). Olibanum Tree. ORD. _Burseraceæ_. Ornamental and economic evergreen stove trees. Flowers hermaphrodite; calyx five-toothed, permanent; petals five, obovate-oblong, spreading, with the margins incumbent in æstivation; disk cup-shaped, crenate; stamens ten; capsule trigonal. They are of easy culture, thriving well in loam and peat soil. Cuttings root readily if placed in sand under a glass.

=B. glabra= (glabrous). _fl._ white, small, with a red nectary and
yellow anthers; racemes aggregate, simple, terminal, shorter than
the leaves. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets broad, lanceolate, blunt,
serrated, smooth. _h._ 30ft. Coromandel, 1823. (B. F. S. 124.)

=B. serrata= (saw-edged-leaved).* _fl._ whitish-yellow; racemes
axillary, simple. _l._ impari-pinnate; leaflets ovate-oblong,
taper-pointed, serrated, pubescent. _h._ 20ft. India, 1820. (T. L.
S. xv., 4.)

=BOTANY BAY GUM.= _See_ =Xanthorrhæa arborea=.

=BOTANY BAY TEA= (and =TREE=). _See_ =Smilax glycyphylla=.

=BOTHY.= A residence for under-gardeners, usually built behind the hothouses, or some high wall, in what is called a back shed. The place is too frequently a cramped, ill-ventilated hovel. A Bothy proper should be an independent structure, and fitted with modern conveniences; for, of all people, gardeners are the most susceptible to colds, &c. A library of standard horticultural and botanical works, as well as a few on other scientific subjects, and a moderate number of high-class books of fiction, one or more weekly gardening and other papers, should be supplied by the employer. During the winter months, for mutual improvement, lectures should be delivered, or papers read, by each gardener, on various subjects, after which a free discussion should take place upon the paper or lecture, by which means a great amount of good would be accomplished.

=BOTRYCHIUM= (from _botrys_, a bunch; in reference to the bunch-like disposition of the indusia). Moonwort. ORD. _Filices_. A genus of very interesting and pretty little hardy ferns. Capsules sessile, arranged in two rows on the face of spikes which form a compound panicle. They require a compost of sandy loam; perfect drainage is most essential. For general culture, _see_ =Ferns=.

=B. australe= (southern). A variety of _B. ternatum_.

=B. daucifolium= (Daucus-leaved). _sti._ stout, 6in. to 12in. long;
petiole of sterile segments 1in. to 6in. long, the latter 6in. to
12in. each way, deltoid, tripinnatifid or tripinnate, the lower
pinnæ largest; segments lanceolate-oblong, 1/4in. to 3/8in. broad,
finely toothed. _fertile peduncle_ equalling the sterile segments
when mature; panicle 2in. to 4in. long; tripinnate, not very close.
Himalayas, &c. Greenhouse species. SYN. _B. subcarnosum_.

=B. Lunaria.= Common Moonwort.* _sti._ 1in. to 4in. long. _sterile
segments_ sessile, or nearly so, 1in. to 3in. long, 1/2in. to
1in. broad, base much broader than the middle, cut down to a
flattened rachis into several distinct, close, entire, or notched
cuneate-flabellate pinnæ on both sides. _fertile peduncle_
equalling or exceeding the sterile portion; panicle close, 1in. to
2in. long. England, &c. Hardy. See Fig. 267.

=B. lunarioides= (Lunaria-like). A variety of _B. ternatum_.

=B. obliquum= (oblique). A variety of _B. ternatum_.

=B. subcarnosum= (sub-fleshy). A synonym of _B. daucifolium_.

=B. ternatum= (ternate).* _sti._ 1in. to 2in. long. _petiole_ of
the sterile segments 2in. to 4in. long, the latter 3in. to 6in.
each way, deltoid, tri- or quadripinnatifid; lower pinnæ much
the largest. _fertile peduncle_ 6in. to 9in. long; panicle 1in.
to 6in. long; deltoid, very compound. Nootka and Hudson's Bay
territory. Several so-called species come very close to this,
including _australe_, _lunarioides_, and _obliquum_, which are only
geographical varieties. Greenhouse species.

=B. virginianum= (Virginian).* _sti._ 3in. to 18in. long.
_sterile segments_ sessile, 4in. to 12in. each way, deltoid,
quadripinnatifid; lower pinnæ much the largest; pinnules
oval-oblong, close, cut down to the rachis into finely cut
linear-oblong segments. _fertile peduncle_ equalling or exceeding
the sterile part of the plant when mature; panicle 1in. to 4in.
long, loose, oblong. Oregon, and North United States, 1790. A hardy
species in sheltered places. (H. G. F. 29.)

=BOTTLE-GOURD.= _See_ =Lagenaria=.

=BOTTLE-TREE.= _See_ =Sterculia rupestris=.

=BOTTOM HEAT.= This is usually secured by passing hot-water pipes through an air chamber, or a water tank, beneath a bed of plunging material. The covering of the tank or chamber is best made of slate. The heat must be regulated according to the requirements of the subjects grown; this is easily accomplished by using the valve. A thermometer should be placed in the tank or bed. Bottom-heat is indispensable for propagating plants from seeds and cuttings, especially in spring. _See_ =Heating= and =Hotbeds=.

=BOUCEROSIA= (from _boukeros_, furnished with buffaloes' horns; in reference to the curved lobes of the corona) ORD. _Asclepiadaceæ_. A genus of greenhouse succulent perennials, allied to _Stapelia_, and requiring the same culture. Flowers numerous, terminal, umbellate; corolla sub-campanulate, five-cleft; segments broadly triangular, with acute recesses; stramineous corona fifteen-lobed; lobes disposed in a double series; the five inner ones opposite the stamens and lying upon the anthers; the rest exterior, erect, or a little incurved at apex, adhering to the back of the inner ones. Branches and stems tetragonal, with toothed angles.

=B. europæa= (European). _fl._ purple-brown, yellow. Summer. _h._
4in. Sicily, 1833. SYNS. _Apteranthes_ and _Stapelia Gussoniana_.
See Fig. 268. (B. R. 1731.)

=B. maroccana= (Morocco).* _fl._ dark red purple, with yellow
concentric lines. Summer. _l._ minute, trowel-shaped, deflexed at
tip of stem angles. _h._ 4in. Morocco, 1875. (B. M. 6137.)

=BOUCHEA= (named after C. and P. Bouche, German naturalists). ORD. _Verbenaceæ_. A small genus of stove or greenhouse evergreen herbs or sub-shrubs. Flowers sub-sessile, in spicate racemes, which are either terminal or in the forking of two branches; corolla funnel-shaped. Leaves opposite, toothed. They thrive in a well-drained compost of loam and sandy peat. Propagated by cuttings, placed in sand, under a glass, and in a gentle heat, during spring.

=B. cuneifolia= (wedge-shaped-leaved). _fl._ white. April. _h._
4ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1821. A greenhouse evergreen shrub. SYN.
_Chascanum cuneifolium_.

=B. pseudogervao= (false-gervaô). _fl._ purplish, with white
throat; spike terminal, 6in. to 10in. long, slender. September.
_l._ opposite, ovate, or elliptic-ovate, acuminate, serrated. Stems
tetragonous. _h._ 2ft. to 5ft. Brazil, 1874. A stove perennial. (B.
M. 6221).

=BOUGAINVILLEA= (named after De Bougainville, a French navigator). ORD. _Nyctagineæ_. Gorgeous warm greenhouse or conservatory plants, comprising some of the most showy climbers in cultivation. Their beauty lies in the bracts, which envelop the small greenish flowers. _B. glabra_ may be grown in pots, or planted out in the greenhouse borders; the others are best planted out, as they root very freely, and plenty of space would be occupied if allowed, but it is best to limit it, as they bloom much better. Strict training and pinching are not desirable, being prejudicial to the free production of bloom; indeed, the best plan is to allow the plants to ramble freely over the roof of a moderately high house, or along the upper portion of a back wall; they will then bloom profusely for several months in the year, provided proper attention be paid to watering, and that the plants are in a well-drained situation. In preparing a border for their reception, the first point to be considered is the drainage, which must be perfect. This is best effected by placing a layer of brick rubbish, 6in. to 9in. in thickness, communicating with the drain, by which means all sourness and stagnancy of the soil will be obviated. The bed should be excavated to a depth of 18in. or 2ft. Three parts turfy loam, and one part leaf soil, with the admixture of a liberal quantity of sharp gritty sand, will form a suitable compost for the culture of Bougainvilleas. The amount of sand incorporated must depend upon the quality of the other components, heavy loam requiring more than that which is more friable. The occasional incorporation of manure in the compost is not to be recommended; but a liberal application of liquid manure will be of material advantage, especially if the root space is limited. When the plants cease blooming each year-about November or December-they should be dried off and rested; and in February they should be closely spurred in, the same as with vines, and all weak leaders removed, so that strong wood only is left. When grown in pots, they must be started in brisk heat. They are easily increased by cuttings prepared from the half-ripened wood; these should be placed in sandy soil, in a brisk bottom heat, when they will soon root. Scale, red spider, and mealy bug are the only insects likely to infest the plants, and recipes for their destruction will be found under each individual name.

=B. glabra= (smooth).* _fl._, inflorescence panicled, smaller than
that of _B. speciosa_, each branchlet producing cordate-ovate acute
rosy bracts, in threes. Summer. _l._ bright green, smooth. Brazil,
1861. This is by far the best species for pot culture, and forms a
very showy plant when well grown.

=B. speciosa= (beautiful).* _fl._, bracts large, cordate, delicate
lilac rose, produced in immense panicles, which, in well grown
specimens, are so freely produced as to entirely shroud the whole
plant. March to June. _l._ ovate, very dark green, covered on
the upper surface with small hairs. Stems branched, abundantly
furnished with large recurved spines. Brazil, 1861. (F. M. i., 62.)

=B. spectabilis= (showy). _fl._, bracts of a dull brick-red, shaded
with scarlet. South America, 1829. It is very difficult to obtain
bloom on this plant; and when flowers are produced, they are
extremely ephemeral. The species is, for all practical purposes,
much inferior to either of the foregoing. SYN. _Josepha augusta_.
See Fig. 269.

=BOURBON PALM.= _See_ =Latania=.

=BOUSSINGAULTIA= (named after Boussingault, a celebrated chemist). ORD. _Chenopodiaceæ_. Very pretty half-hardy, tuberous-rooted plants, requiring a rich vegetable sandy soil, and a well-drained sunny aspect, under which conditions the first-mentioned species develops into a very luxuriant trailing plant, attaining a length of 20in. or more. Propagated freely by means of the tubercles of the stem; these are, however, extremely brittle.

=B. baselloides= (Basella-like).* _fl._ white, ultimately becoming
black, fragrant, small, disposed in clusters, 2in. to 4in. long,
which are axillary at the ends of the branches. Late autumn. _l._
alternate, cordate, smooth, shining, fleshy, slightly wavy. Stems
very twining, tinged red, very quick-growing, producing tubercles.
South America, 1835. (B. M. 3620.)

=B. Lachaumei= (Lachaume's). _fl._ rose, constantly in perfection.
Cuba, 1872. A stove species.

=BOUVARDIA= (named after Dr. Charles Bouvard, formerly superintendent of the Jardin du Roi, at Paris). ORD. _Rubiaceæ_. Handsome greenhouse evergreen shrubs. Peduncles terminal, three-flowered, or trichotomous and corymbose; corolla funnel-shaped, tubular, elongated, beset with velvety papillæ outside, and a four-parted, spreading, short limb. Leaves opposite, or in whorls; stipules narrow, acute, adnate to the petioles on both sides. These extensively cultivated plants are among the most useful for conservatory or greenhouse decoration (see Fig. 270. for which we are indebted to Messrs. Cannell and Sons), and the flowers are largely employed in a cut state. Perhaps only two are fragrant, viz., _jasminiflora_ and _Humboldtii_. Cultivation: Presuming the grower to be commencing with young rooted cuttings, these should be potted off into a mixture of good fibrous loam, leaf soil, and sand, in equal proportions, to which may be added a small quantity of peat; they should then be placed in a temperature of from 70deg. to 80deg. until fully established in the small pots. It is necessary at this stage to stop the young plants back to the first joint, and as they continue to make fresh breaks, to keep on pinching them back during the whole period of cultivation, or until sufficiently bushy plants are produced. Many growers neglect stopping far too much, the result being ill-shaped and almost flowerless plants. The pinching, of course, can be regulated by the time the plants are required to flower; and it is unwise, in most cases, to stop them after the end of August. When the small pots are well filled with roots, the plants should be shifted into the flowering pots, viz., large 48-sized, which are quite commodious enough to grow very fine plants, a similar compost as in the first potting, with a little Standen's manure added, being used, and good drainage provided. A cool greenhouse, with a damp bottom for the pots to rest upon, and with a moist atmosphere, is the most suitable place in which to grow them during late spring and early summer, the moist air being very desirable as an effectual check to red spider, a pest very fond of the foliage, which it permanently disfigures. A cold pit or close frame is better during the summer months, as a moist atmosphere and cool bottom are then certain. Ventilation may be effected during the greater part of the day by tilting the lights below, and on fine nights they may be removed altogether. During bright sunshine, shading will be beneficial. All through the period of active growth, it is absolutely necessary that the plants should receive plenty of water, or they will surely suffer; and when the pots are filled with roots, occasional doses of manure water will be beneficial. Many cultivators plant them out about the end of June, in favoured situations, or in spent hotbeds, when they make very vigorous growth; and, if carefully pinched and watered, fine specimens are obtained. These are lifted in early autumn, with a good ball, potted, and kept shaded for a few days until the roots are again active, when they are taken to the house in which they are intended to bloom, and an enormous supply of flowers is secured. We have also seen Bouvardias planted out permanently in beds, in prepared pits, in which the winter temperature was not less than 55deg., with very satisfactory results; the quantity of bloom being very great. Of course, with the last-named treatment, it is essential to give the plants a rest and hardening-off after flowering, and when they are started into fresh growth to keep them well pinched and watered. Bouvardias are liable to the attacks of red spider and green fly. The former stands little chance of existence if the plants are kept well supplied with moisture; the latter may be destroyed by fumigating with tobacco. Mealy bug are also troublesome, and should be sponged off with a solution of Gishurst's Compound. Propagation: After flowering, and a slight rest and hardening-off, the old plants should be cut back, placed in heat, in a stove or cucumber pit, and freely syringed, which will cause them to break freely, and produce a good supply of cuttings. When the young shoots are from 1-1/2in. to 2in. long., they are in the best condition for striking. It is not necessary that they should be cut off at a joint, as they will root from any surface of the stem; and, working economically, it is wiser to cut them off just above the first joint, as other shoots will speedily break out, which may, in their turn, be taken. Pots about 5in. across should have previously been prepared for the cuttings, by being well drained and filled with a mixture of good fibrous loam, leaf soil, and coarse sand, in equal parts, with a copious supply of sand upon the surface, into which the cuttings should be dibbled pretty thickly. A good watering must be given without wetting, and thereby injuring, the foliage. The pots should be plunged in the cutting case, or in any bottom heat of about 70deg. or 80deg., and covered with a bell glass. All that is then necessary is to keep them moist and shady during sunshine, until they are rooted, which, as a rule, is effected in three weeks' time. When well established, they may be removed from the case, gradually hardened off, and finally potted singly into small thumb pots.

=B. angustifolia= (narrow-leaved).* _fl._ pale red; corymbs
somewhat trichotomous. September. _l._ three in a whorl,
lanceolate, with revolute edges, glabrous above, but beset with
fine hairs beneath. Branches terete, smoothish. _h._ 2ft. Mexico,
1838. (P. M. B. 7, 99.)

=B. Cavanillesii= (Cavanilles's). _fl._ red; peduncles terminal,
trifid, three-flowered. May. _l._ opposite, ovate-lanceolate,
acuminated, rather villous beneath. _h._ 1-1/2ft. Mexico, 1846.
SYN. _B. multiflora_. (J. H. S. 3, 246.)

=B. flava= (yellow).* _fl._ yellow, drooping; racemes three to
five-flowered; pedicels downy, slender. March. _l._ opposite,
ovate-lanceolate, ciliated; stipules setaceous. _h._ 1-1/2ft.
Mexico, 1845. (B. R. 32, 32.)

=B. hirtella= (hairy). _fl._ pale red or flesh-coloured, corymbose.
_l._ whorled, lanceolate, with revoluted edges, hairy on both
surfaces. Branches terete. Mexico.

=B. Humboldtii corymbiflora= (Humboldt's corymb-flowered).* _fl._
white, large, fragrant, disposed in terminal racemes; tubes long.
Autumn and winter. _l._ ovate, oblong-acuminate, dark green. 1874.
One of the finest kinds in cultivation. (G. C. 1873, 717.)

=B. Jacquini= (Jacquin's). A synonym of _B. triphylla_.

=B. jasminiflora= (Jasmine-flowered).* _fl._ white, fragrant,
in compound cymes; very floriferous. Winter. _l._ opposite,
elliptic-acuminate. South America, 1869. A very charming and
largely grown species. (G. C. 1872, 215.)

=B. leiantha= (smooth-flowered).* _fl._ scarlet; corymbs
sub-trichotomous. July to November. _l._ ternate, ovate-acuminate,
slightly hairy above, downy-villous beneath. _h._ 2ft. Mexico,
1850. See Fig. 271. (B. H. 2, 6.)

=B. longiflora= (long-flowered).* _fl._ white, terminal, solitary,
sessile, with the tube 2in. or 3in. long. _l._ opposite, oblong,
acute, cuneated at the base, glabrous. Branches compressedly
tetragonal, glabrous. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1827. (B. M. 4223.)

=B. multiflora= (many-flowered). A synonym of _B. Cavanillesii_.

=B. triphylla= (three-leaved).* _fl._ scarlet, nearly 1in. long;
corymbs somewhat trichotomous. July. _l._ smoothish above, hairy
beneath, three in a whorl, oblong. Branchlets trigonal, hairy. _h._
2ft. to 3ft. Mexico, 1794. There are numerous varieties of this
species. SYN. _B. Jacquini_. (B. M. 1854.)

=B. versicolor= (various-coloured). _fl._, corolla with a scarlet
tube, which is 3/4in. long, but having the limb yellowish inside;
corymbs three-flowered, trichotomous, drooping. July to September.
_l._ opposite, lanceolate, ciliated. Branches terete, glabrous,
velvety while young. _h._ 2ft. to 3ft. South America, 1814. (B. R.
245.)

The garden hybrids are very handsome. A selection is given below:

ALFRED NEUNER, flowers double, white, or slightly tinged with rose
(see Fig. 272); BRILLIANT, flowers bright crimson, numerous, freely
branching habit, and strong constitution; DAZZLER,* habit very
bushy and compact, extremely floriferous, flowers rich scarlet, in
dense clusters; HOGARTH, brilliant scarlet, very fine; LONGIFLORA
FLAMMEA,* flowers long-tubed, blush-rose; MAIDEN'S BLUSH,* very
free and floriferous, blush-rose; PRESIDENT GARFIELD, rich double,
red-pink, very fine; QUEEN OF ROSES, rosy-pink, the tubes tinted
with crimson, habit dwarf and very free; VREELANDI (=DAVIDSONI),
flowers pure white, produced in great abundance; one of the most
useful of them all, and grown very extensively.

=BOWENIA= (commemorative of Sir G. Bowen, Governor of Queensland). ORD. _Cycadaceæ_. A remarkable and handsome greenhouse fern-like plant, closely allied to _Zamia_, from which it is distinguished by having the leaflets decurrent to the petiole, instead of articulated, as in that genus. For culture, _see_ =Cycas=.

=B. spectabilis= (showy).* _fl._, male cones small, ovoid,
1/2in. to 3/4in. long; female oblong-globose, 3-3/4in. long.
_l._ bipinnatisect, on tall, slender petioles; leaflets
falcate-lanceolate, decurrent; stem short, thick, cylindrical.
Queensland, Australia, 1863. (B. M. 5398 and 6008.)

=B. s. serrulata= (finely-toothed).* This differs from the type in
having the margins distinctly toothed or serrated. Rockingham Bay,
1863.

=BOWIEA= (named after J. Bowie, a botanical collector for the Royal Gardens, Kew). ORD. _Liliaceæ_. A very interesting greenhouse or half-hardy twining bulbous perennial, thriving in a sunny border, under the wall of a greenhouse, where it will require protection during winter. It does well in any light well drained soil, and may be propagated by seeds or offsets.

=B. volubilis= (twining). _fl._ few, remote, pedicellate; perianth
six-partite, persistent; segments equal, green, lanceolate, 1/4in.
long, at length reflexed. October. True leaves are frequently
not developed for years; but the green, fleshy, mostly abortive
inflorescence performs their functions. South Africa, 1866. See
Fig. 273.

=BOX.= _See_ =Buxus=.

=BOX ELDER.= _See_ =Negundo=.

=BOX THORN.= _See_ =Lycium=.

=BRABEIUM= (from _brabeion_, a sceptre; in reference to the racemosed flowers). African Almond. ORD. _Proteaceæ_. An ornamental greenhouse evergreen tree. For culture, &c., _see_ =Banksia=.