AND GENERAL HOETICULTUEE. 



47 



BEG 



Bego'nia. Named in honor of M. Begon, a 

 French patron of botany. Nat. Ord. Bego- 

 niacea. 



All the species of Begonia are interesting 

 and beautiful winter ornaments of the hot- 

 house or green-house, of the simplest culture 

 in any rich soil if allowed an abundant supply 

 of water. Cuttings may be struck without 

 trouble. B. Rex, the type of the large-leaved 

 sorts, and the most ornamental of the species, 

 is best propagated by cutting the leaves in 

 sections, each being so cut as to form a junc- 

 tion of the ribs at the lower end of the cutting. 

 These should be laid in a damp, warm place, 

 or on the propagating bench with good bottom 

 heat ; or a leaf, or a portion of one, may be 

 laid flat in any shady place in the house. 

 Within the last twenty-five years a new race 

 of tuberous-rooted sorts has been introduced 

 from the South American Andes, of which 

 B. roscBjlora, B. Veitchii, B. octopetala and B. 

 Boliviensis are typical species, from which, by 

 cross-fertilization and selection a large num- 

 ber of beautiful and almost hardy kinds have 

 been raised. This is sliown in the size, sub- 

 stance, and rich colors of the flowers of tlie 

 majority of the plants of this race. They are 

 equally valuable for the green-house or for 

 out-door decoration in summer. The tubers 

 should be kept warm and dry during the 

 winter, from November to April, when they 

 may be started into growth. 



Bego'nia'cece. A natural order, comprising a 

 large number of useful and ornamental garden 

 plants. The only genera are Begonia and 

 Begoniella. The species are common in the 

 East and West Indies, and South America, 

 and a few are found in Madagascar, and South 

 Africa. They are said to possess bitter and 

 astringent qualities. 



Bellado'nna. See Atroj^a Belladonna. 



Bellado'nna Lily. A common name for Ama- 

 ryllis Belladonna. 



Belleva'lia. In memory of P. R. Belleval, a 

 French botanist. Nat. Ord. Liliacece. 



A small genus of bulbous plants found in 

 the Mediterranean region and in temperate 

 Asia. They are perfectly hardy, growing 

 freely under the same conditions in which the 

 Grape Hyacinth, Muscari, is grown, and the 

 finer species of which they closely resemble. 

 Introduced in 1844. 



Bell-flower. See Campanula. 



Be'llis. The Daisy. From bellus, pretty; re- 

 ferring to the flowers. Nat. Ord. Compositai. 

 Well-known perennials, of which B.perennis, 

 the common Daisy, has been in cultivation in 

 the British and Continental gardens fi'om time 

 immemorial. The most beautiful varieties 

 are the large double, the large quilled, and 

 the Hen-and-Chickens; but there are many 

 others. In Germany numerous curious varie- 

 ties have been raised by saving the seed of 

 the handsomest kinds. Each sort is much 

 improved by being taken up, divided, and re- 

 planted every autumn. They are all admira- 

 ble plants for making edgings to borders, and 

 they are well suited for growing in pots, 

 though at present they are almost neglected. 

 They thrive best in a loamy soil, richly man- 

 ured, which should be dug over and well 

 broken before planting, and they will bear 

 transplanting even when in flower, provided 



BER 



they are taken up with a portion of soil at- 

 tached. These pretty plants are seldom seen 

 in our gardens in as great abundance as they 

 deserve to be, which is owing, no doubt, to 

 their being very impatient of our hot sum- 

 mers. They should therefore be grown in a 

 shady and rather cool border. 



Be'llium. A genus of pretty dwarf free-flower- 

 ing plants, nearly related to the common 

 Daisy, Bellis perennis, and requiring similar 

 treatment. Excellent plants for rockwork or 

 a similar situation. 



Bell Pepper. See Capsicum. 



Bellv^ort. See Utricularia grandiSora. 



Bell^vorts. The English popular name for the 

 Nat. Ord. Campanulacem. 



Belope'rone. A considerable genus of Acan- 

 thacecB, from Tropical America, containing 

 many species of beautiful shrubs with large 

 purple or blue flowers borne on terminal 

 spikes ; nearly allied to Justicia, and requiring 

 the same treatment. 



Bene. See Sesamum. 



Bengal Qviince. See ^gle. 



Benjamin Bush. A popular name of Lindera 

 Benzoin, which is also called Spice Bush. 



Bent Grass. See Agrosf.is. 



Bentha'mia. Named after Mr. Bentham, a dis- 

 tinguished English botanist. Nat. Ord. Cor- 

 nacece. 



A small genus of half-hardy evergreen 

 shrubs, natives of northern India. The fruit 

 makes it a conspicuous plant for the lawn. It 

 is of a yellowish white color, about the size of a 

 Raspberry, but not edible. B. Japonica, very 

 much resembles the flowering Dogwood, 

 blooming two months later in tlie season, 

 Proijagated from seeds or by cuttings. 



Benzoin. A genus of native shrubs now knowiv 

 as Lindera, which see. 



Berberida'ceee. A natural order of shrubs or 

 hardy perennials, with terminal or axillary 

 flowers, usually racemose, with alternate, 

 compound leaves. These plants are found in 

 South America as far as the Straits of Magel- 

 lan, and in the mountainous parts of the 

 northei'n hemisphere. They are common in 

 the northern provinces of India, but none ai'e 

 found in Africa, Australia, or the South Sea 

 Islands. The fruit of some of the species is 

 used as a preserve, and is sometimes eaten in 

 a fresh or dried state. They possess acid, 

 bitter, and astringent qualities, and oxalic 

 acid occurs in some. Tlie stem and bark of 

 several species are used in dyeing yellow. 

 The astringent substance called Lycium by 

 Dioscorides is supposed to be furnished by 

 the root of various species of Berberry, and a 

 similar preparation is much used in India as 

 a febrifuge. The pinnate-leaved Berberries 

 form the sub-genus Mahonia. The order con- 

 tains twelve genera and a hundred and ten 

 species, among which are Berberis, Leontice, 

 Epimedium, Nandina, Jeffersonia, etc. 



Berberido'psis. From Berberis, and opis, like ; 

 resembling the Barberry. Nat. Ord. Berberi- 

 daceoe. 



A small genus of half-hardy evergreen 

 shrubs, natives of Chili. B. corallina is a 

 handsome shrub of sub-scandent habit, thick, 



