152 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Babiana—continued. 
portionately increased as the plants develop. Very weak 
liquid manure, applied twice a week, just as the spikes are 
pushing up, will be beneficial, When the flowers fade, 
and the stems show signs of decay, the supply of water 
must be gradually decreased, thus inducing the thorough 
maturation of the corms, upon which the next season’s dis- 
play depends. When quite down, store the pots in a dry 
place till the time for repotting arrives, when the corms 
should be carefully cleaned, and all offsets separated, the 
latter being potted up in the same way as the parent 
corms in order to produce flowering specimens; or they may 
be kept in a pot of sand and planted in a warm border out- 
side in March. Outdoor culture: A sheltered, sunny, and 
well-drained situation is most essential to success. Al- 
though not absolutely necessary, it is preferable to replant 
every year in early spring, placing the bulbs about 5in. or 
Fig. 200, BABIANA STRICTA RUBRO-CYANEA, 
~ Gin. deep, with a little sand sprinkled about them. Pl 
ig may, of course, be done in autumn, when it dar be 
necessary to cover with cocoa nut fibre refuse to the depth 
of Sin. or 6in. „In warm, sheltered situations, the corms 
may remain undisturbed ;-but, as a rule, it is desirable to 
remove them late in autumn, when the leaves are dead, and 
store them in dry sand through the winter in a cool? 
position, free of frost, Mixed Babianas may be Sa 
they are best to plant. Propagation me : 
po Bs plant. Propagation may be effected by 
Babiana—continued. 
perfume; perianth pale violet-blue; anthers blue, and stigmas 
yellow. May, June. J. lanceolate, distinctly plicate. h. 6in, 
1774. SYNS. B. cerulescens, B. reflexa. (B. M, 576 
B. reflexa (refiexed). Synonymous with B. plicata. 
B. ringens (gaping).* fl. scarlet, irregular in form, gaping, very 
handsome. May, June. l. narrow, acute, deep green, A. 6in. 
to 9in. 1752. (L. B. C. 1006.) 
B. sambucina (Elder-scented). Jl. bluish-purple, with an Elder- 
like fragrance ; perianth divisions spreading. April, May. J. 
lanceolate, slightly plicate. h. 6in. to 9in. 1799. Syn. Gladiolus 
sambucinus. (B. M. 1019.) 
B. stricta (strict).* jl., perianth segments narrow, acute, outer 
three white, inner three lilac-blue, with a dark blotch near the 
base of each. May. l. broadly lanceolate, obtuse, ciliated. 
h. 1ft. 1795. (B. M. 621.) 
B. s. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). fl. fragrant ; perianth bright 
blue, slightly pink in the tube, Ma P June. $ linear, AA 
light green. Å. 1ft. 1757. (B. M. 637.) 
B, s. rubro-cyanea (red-and-blue).* jl. 2in. or more in diameter ; 
upper half of the perianth very brilliant blue, and the lower part 
rich crimson, forming a central zone, in striking contrast to the 
blue portion, May, June. J. broad, sig ge downy on the — 
under surface. h. 6in. to 8in. 1796. See Fig. 200, (B. M. 410. 
B. s. sulphurea ee ae e . cream-coloured or pale 
yellow ; anthers blue, and stigmas yellow ; segments spreading. 
April, May. J. narrow-obtuse. h. 9in. 1795. Syns. Gladiolus 
sulphureus, G. plicatus. (B. M. 1053.) 
B. s. villosa (villous).* fl., perianth smaller than the last, with 
the narrower segments rather more widely spreading than in B. s. - 
anea, brilliant crimson, with violet-blue anthers. Au- 
gust. 6in. 1778. (B. M. 583.) ! 
BABINGTONIA (named after C. O. Babington, 
fessor of Botany at Cambridge, and a di i 
botanical author). ORD. Myrtacee. A very pretty green- 
house evergreen shrub, allied to Beckea, from which it 
differs in having the stamens collected in groups opposite 
the sepals. Cuttings of the young unflowering shoots may 
be planted in sand under a bell glass, and kept in a 
moderate heat until rooted, when they should be placed 
singly in small pots, in a compost of equal parts loam 
and peat, with the addition of a little sand. As the 
small pots fill with roots, the plants should be removed 
into larger ones, and the compost have less sand in it; 
but this shonld not be done until the next February, The 
established plants must have a good shift about March 
or April, and should be kept in a light, airy greenhouse ; 
the first shoots may be topped to moderate their vigour, 
and to produce a greater profusion of less luxuriant ones. 
In May, when most plants are removed from the green- 
house, these should be set to grow under a frame which, 
while shielding them from heavy rains, and supporting 
some slight shading in the hottest parts of the sunny days, 
will not prevent a free circulation of air. To this end, the 
frame should be elevated from the rests or supports at its 
5 
corners ; the lights should be left off at night in fine, mild 
weather, and on dull, cloudy days, being only rep! 
during heavy rains, and when shading is necessary. To- 
wards autumn, the plants must be returned to the gree! 
house. 2 
B, camphor-smelling).* fl. pinkish-white, in 
little cymes, di in long terminal racemes. Sammeta 
linear, opposite, nerved. h. Tft. Australia, 1841, (B. R. 28, 10.) 
BACCATE. Berried, fleshy ; having a pulpy texture. => 
BACCHARIS (from Bacchus, wine; referring to the 
spicy odour of the roots). Ploughman’s Spikenard. ORD. 
Composite. <A genus of hardy, stove, or greenhouse herbs, 
shrubs, or trees. Flower-heads many-flowered, dicecious, 
terminal. Inyolucre sub-hemispherical or oblong, in-many 
series, imbricated. Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulatey 
- deciduous, oblong-lanceolate, notched, serrated, or entire. 
Shrubs of short duration. These plants are 
nor ornamental, but are of easy cultiva 
. Propagated by cuttings. 3 
neither beautiful 
in ordinary soile 
