An Encyclopedia of Horticulture. 



15^ 



Balsamodendron — continued. 

 acute, one to two-celled, marked with four sutiires. 

 Leaves with three to five sessile, dotless leaflets. They 

 thrive in a compost of thoroughly drained sandy 

 loam. Propagated by cuttings of ripe young 

 wood, taken in April, and placed under a hand 

 glass, in bottom heat. The species named below 

 doubtfully belongs to this genus, as the charac- 

 teristics above enumerated will show. 



B. zeylanlcnin (Ceylon).* Jl. white, three-petaled, 

 glumerated, iiivolucrated : rnceraes interrupteii, downy. 

 /. inipari-pinnate, with five to seven-statkeil, ovate, 

 acute leaHcts. h. 30ft. Ceylon. 



BALSAIVI OF CAFEVI. Sep. Copaifera. 



BALSAM-TREE. See Clusia. 



BAMBOO CANE. See Bambasa. 



BAMBTTSA (from bambu, the Malay name). 

 Bamboo Cane. Ord. Graminea'. A genus of orna- 

 mental, shrubby, greenhouse, half-hardy or hardy 

 shrubs, each culm flowering but once. Flowers 

 usually hexandrous. Leaves, as a rule, relatively shorter 

 than the stems, lanceolate, and narrowed at the base. 

 Stems jointed, flexuose, branching, usually hollow, and, 

 when mature, of a hard, woody nature. In well drained, 

 Bheltored situations, in the open, with rich, loamy soO, 

 some of the species make extremely graceful objects, par- 

 ticularly so in the more southern counties of England, 

 and in parts of Scotland. Unless a very severe winter 

 is experienced, they may bo left without protection. 

 Plants of all the species, however, should have the shelter 

 of a cold greenhouse tiU about the end of April ; when they 

 should bo gradually hardened off, and transferred to a 



liAMBUSA AUllKA. 



warm, sheltered spot, such as in woodlands, by the mar- 

 gins of lakes, &c., as they like plenty of moisture diirinc 



Bambusa — continued. 

 the summer. A good watering must be given after plant- 

 ing, to settle the soil. Propagation is effected by careful 



Fia. 204. Bambusa nana. 



division of well-developed plants, which should be done in 



early spring, just as new growth is commencing ; and it 



is advisable to establish the divisions in pots. See also 



Arandinaria. 



B, arnndlnacea (reed-like). • Stem veiy stout, rising like a 

 beautiful column to some 50ft. or 60ft. in height ; the laterals 

 producing a profusion of light green leaves, the whole presenting 

 the appearance of a huge plume of feathers. India, 1730. This 

 species is best treated as a stove plant, but it may be placed out 

 of doors in summer. See Fig. 202. (B. F. S. 321.) 



B. anrea (golden).* I. lanceolate, acute, light green, distinguished 

 from B. nana by having their under surface less glaucescent, and 

 the sheath always devoid of the long silky hairs. China. This 

 very handsome species forms elegant tufts, with its slender much- 

 branched stems, which attain a height of from 6ft. to 10ft., and 

 are of a light green colour in a young state, ultimately changing 

 into a yellowish hue. Hardy in most parts of the country. See 

 Fig. 203. 



B. Fortune! (Fortune's).* I. linear-lanceolate, abruptly pointed, 

 somewhat rounded at the base, on very short hairy stalks, serrated 

 and often fringed with long hairs on the margin, downy on both 

 sides, and distinctly variegated, the transverse veins often of a 

 bottle-green colour. A. 1ft. to 2ft. Japan. A dwarf tufted species, 

 with very slender stem. Quite hardy. There are only varie- 

 gated varieties of this in cultivation, viz., varieqata and arqenteo. 

 viUata. (F. d. S. 1853, t. 1535.) 



B. glanca (milky-green). A synonym of B. nana. 



B. japonlca (Japanese). Synonymous with Arundinaria Metake. 



B, Maxlmowlozii (Maxiraowicz's). Synonymous with Arundi- 

 naria Maximowiczii. 



B. Metake (Metake). Synonymous with Arundinaria Metake. 



B. mltls (small). I. deep green, lanceolate, acute, striated, clasp, 

 ing the stem; panicle snnple, erect, close; spikes long, imbri- 

 cated. Stem tapermg. h. 40ft. Cochin China and Japan. This 



