TO THE FLOWER GARDEN. 39 



turfy peat to one-fourth sandy loam. Propagated by cuttings 

 in sand under bell-glasses. They are very sensitive of having 

 too much or too little water. B. disticha, flowers orange- 

 yellow. B. disticha x>lu7nosa, B. paucifolia, and B. cordifolia, 

 are also grown. 



BOTTLE GOURD. See Lagenaria. 



BOUVARDIA. [Cinchonaceae.] Handsome small sub- 

 shrubs, mostly greenhouse plants. Some of the species pro- 

 duce a profusion of scarlet blossoms when planted out for the 

 summer in a bed of good peat earth in the flower garden. 

 Of this habit are B. triphylla, and a variety of it called 

 splendens. The other greenhouse kinds require similar treat- 

 ment : the stove species are not of much importance. The 

 roots must be taken up in autumn, and potted and kept 

 rather dry in a greenhouse ; and in spring excited in a dung- 

 frame, and hardened off" afterwards to plant out as soon as 

 danger from frost is past. These kinds are best propagated 

 by pieces of the thicker roots an inch or two long, set round 

 against the side of a pot, just covered with soil, and the pots 

 plunged in a dung-frame. When they begin to grow up they 

 should be potted separately : they grow well in a compost of 

 turfy peat and loam. We may grow also B. flava, yellow, 

 and B. longiflora alba. 



BOX. See Buxus. 



BRACHYCOME. Swan Daisy. [Compositae.] Pretty half- 

 hardy annuals. Soil, rich light earth. Propagated by seed, 

 which may be sown in heat about March, and when large 

 enough planted out in the borders or bed six inches apart ; 

 or it may be sown thinly out of doors in April, and be thinned 

 out, but it is much later in general than it is when sown in 

 heat and planted out in May. B. iberidifolia, blue, is very 

 pretty grown in pots. 



BRACHYSEMA. [Leguminosse.] Greenhouse evergreen 

 climbing shrubs, with papilionaceous flowers. Soil, peat and 

 loam in equal proportions, made porous, if necessary, by the 

 addition of sand: it must be well drained. Seeds or cuttings 

 are available for propagation. It is a beautiful plant for the 

 pillars of a greenhouse, near the front, where they are well 

 exposed to light. B. latifolium, flowers crimson. B. villosum, 

 flowers crimson. 



