52 



HENDEKSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS 



BOG 



and labor upon its cultivation and the prep- 

 aration of its fiber. They obtain three crops 

 of its stems annually, the second being con- 

 sidered the best. To obtain the fiber, the 

 bark is stripped off in two long pieces and 

 carefully scraped with a knife, so as to get rid 

 of all useless matter, after which it is softened 

 and separated into fine filaments either by 

 steeping it m hot water or holding it over 

 steam. This plant has been introduced into 

 the Southern States, where it grows freely ; 

 but the difficulty in separating the fiber so as 

 to make its production profitable, has yet to 

 be overcome. 



Bog Asphodel. See Narthecium. 



Bog Moss. See Sphagnum. 



Bog Myrtle. Myrica Gale. 



Bog Rush. Juiictis. Common in all marshy 

 grounds or swamps. 



Boilers. Greenhouse. See Heating. 



Bokhara Clover. One of the popular names of 

 Melilofijia Alba; an excellent Bee-food plant all 

 season. 



Bolbophy'llum. From bolboa, a bulb, and phyl- 

 lon, a lea,f; referring to the leaves issuing 

 from the apex of the pseudo-bulbs. Nat. Ord. 

 OrchidacecB. 



A genus of dwarf epiphytal Orchids from 

 Africa and the East Indies, more curious 

 than beautiful. Flowers large, single or in 

 pairs; color, yellow or white, with purple 

 spots or stripes. Not often seen in collections. 

 Syn. Bulbophyllum. 



Bo'Uea. Derivation of name not given. Nat. 

 Ord. Orchidacem. 



A small genus of epiphytal Orchids, consist- 

 ing of only two species, natives of New Gren- 

 ada. They are showy plants, with radical 

 foliage, from the base of which the flowers are 

 produced on single scapes. The flowers are 

 shaded pink, with a bright yellow lip. They 

 require to be grown in pots of Moss, in rather 

 a warm house, and are increased by division. 

 Placed by some authors under Zygcpetalum. 



Bolto'nia. A genus of three species belonging 

 to the Com/)o.s/7cB family, and peculiar to North 

 America, where they extend from Canada to 

 the Southern States. They produce an abun- 

 dance of flower heads with whitish or pui-plish 

 rays, very much like the Asters to which 

 genus they might at first glance be referred. 

 They are well worth a place in the mixed 

 border. 



Boma'rea. Derivation of name not given. Nat. 

 Ord. AmaryllidaceoB. 



A somewhat extensive genus of tuberous- 

 rooted plants, formerly included in the genus 

 Alstrmmeria, and differing only in the fruit. 

 The species abound in the Peruvian Andes, 

 and are common in other high elevations in 

 South America. B. edulis is a West Indian 

 species, the roots of which are eaten like those 

 of the Jerusalem Artichoke. For culture 

 and propagation see AlstrcBmeria. 

 Bo'mbax. Silk Cotton Tree. From bombax, 

 cotton ; in reference to the woolly hairs which 

 envelop the seed, like those of the Cotton- 

 plant. Nat. Ord. SterculiacecB. 



A genus of tall growing trees, that abound 

 in South America and the East and West 

 Indies. B. Ceiba, a typical species, has a 

 spiny trunk, and is one of the tallest trees of 



BOR 



both Indies, but the wood is very light and not 

 much valued except for canoes. Their trunks 

 are so large, that when hollowed out they make 

 very large ones, so that in the West Indies 

 they frequently carry from fifteen to twenty 

 hogsheads of sugar, of from six to twelve 

 hundred pounds each. The cotton which is 

 enclosed in the seed-vessels is seldom used, 

 except by the poorer inhabitant, to stuff pil- 

 lows or chairs ; and it is generally thought 

 unwholesome to lie upon. 



Bonapa'rtea. Named in honor of Napoleon 

 Bonaparte. Nat. Ord. BromeliacecB. 



A genus remarkable for the gracefulness of 

 their long, rush-like leaves. They are well 

 adapted for growing in vases out of doors in 

 summer. They require a warm house in 

 winter. Propagated by seeds. Introduced 

 from Mexico in 1828. 



B. juncea has been placed under the genus 

 Agave, as A. geminijlora, by some Tiotanists. 



Bone Dust. One of the safest and best of con- 

 centrated fertilizers. When used broadcast, it 

 should be sown on the soil after digging or 

 plowing, just thick enough to cover it with a 

 thin laj-er, about as thickly as sawdust or 

 sand is used on a floor. If used on dug 

 ground, it should be well chopped and mixed 

 through the soil, so as to mix it to a depth of 

 five or six inches. If on ground that has been 

 plowed, a thorough harrovang will mix it to 

 the required depth. This thickness will re- 

 quire at the rate of from fifteen hundred to 

 twentj-five hundred pounds per acre. If to 

 be used in drills or "hills," or only where 

 seed are to be sown or plants planted, and 

 not over the whole gi'ound, it will take only 

 about from one hundred and fifty to three 

 hundi-ed pounds per acre, which should be 

 mixed in the soil in the same manner. 



Boneset. See Eupatorium. 



Bonne'tia. Named after C. Bonnet, a disting- 

 uished naturalist. Nat. Ord. Temstromiacem. 

 A small genus of Brazilian and Peruvian 

 shrubs or low growing trees, the flowers of 

 which are mostly white, nearly as large as 

 those of a Camellia and are produced singly 

 and in panicles. The leaves of B. paniculata, 

 have an agreeable aromatic smell when 

 bmised. 



Bonus Henricus, Good Eling Henry. Chevx)- 

 podium Bonus Henricus. 



Boraginaceae. A large order of herbs or 

 shrubs, having spirally coiled inflorescence, 

 round stems and alternate rough leaves. 

 The fruit consists of distinct seeds without 

 albumen. The plants are principally natives 

 of northern temperate regions. They are 

 found in southern Europe, the Levant, and 

 Central Asia. In high northern latitudes 

 they are less frequent, and nearly dis- 

 appear within the tropics. The plants 

 abound in mucilaginous and demulcent quali- 

 ties. Some yield dyes, as Alkanet {Anchusa 

 tinrtoria). The common Borage {Borago 

 officinalis), when steeped in Avater, imparts 

 coolness to it, and is used in the beverage 

 called cold tankard. The leaves of Mtrtensia 

 maritima have the taste of Ovsters, whence the 

 common name of Oyster Plant. The species 

 of Myosotis are universally prized under the 

 name of Forget-me-not. There are fifty- 

 eight known genera of this order, and over 



