192 



The Dictionary of Gardening, 



BIXA {its South American name). Amatto. Ord. 

 Bixineae. Stove evergreen trees, with diohotomous panicles 

 of large reddish flowers, broad cordate leaves, and priokiy 

 capsules. A compost of loam and peat is well adapted to 

 their culture. Propagated by seed, sown when ripe in bottom 

 heat ; or by cuttings, which root freely in sand, under a 

 hand glass, in heat; the latter is the better method. If 

 grown from seed, the trees attain a large size before they 

 flower ; whereas cuttings, taken from a flowering plant and 

 struck, may be brought to flower when small plants. 

 B. Orellana (Orellana). tl. pale peach-coloured ; corymbs ter- 

 minal, panicled ; peiluncle's two, three, and four-flowered. May 

 to August. (. cordate, "vate, acuminiited, entire or angular, 

 .smooth on both surfaces. The drug cdled Arnatto is prepared 

 from the red pulp which cover.s the seed of this species. It is 

 used in the preparation of chocolate, and by farmers for colourinpc 

 cheese, and also as an orange or yellow dye for silks, h. SOft. 

 West IncUan Islands, 1690. See Kig. 253. (B. M. 1465.) 



BIXINEiE. An order of smoothish tropical trees or 

 fihrubs, not remarkable for any particular beauty. Flowers 



Black T\y— continued. 

 struction must be employed directly the insect appears. 

 Its extermination is an extremely diihcult matter; but 

 the following remedies are very effectual : 



KiG. 254. Tub Bean Kly. 

 a. Female, magnified ; &, Male, natural size, and magnified. 



Tobacco Water. This, made and applied as recommended 

 for Aphides (which see) is a good remedy ; but it is ren- 

 dered more certain by the employment of soapsads, instead 

 of clear water, in its manufacture. 



Fig. 255. Fi.owhiii.ng Branch oi' Bi.xa Orellana. 



with or without petals, when present five and sepal-like ; 

 stamens indefinite in nnmbcr, inserted in the receptaclo 

 or at the bottom of the calyx ; peduncle axiUary or ter- 

 minal, bracteate, one or many-flowered, usually forming 

 terminal panicles. Prnit fleshy or dry. Leaves alternate, 

 simple, entire, or .slightly lobed, generally f\ill of pellucid dots. 

 The genera best known arc vl^ara, Bixa, and Flacourtia. 



BIiACK BEARBERBT. See Arctostaphylos 

 alpina. 



BLACK BEBTIiES. See Cockroaches. 



BIiACK BRYONY. See Tamus communis. 



BLACK BULLACB. See Frunus insititia. 



BLACKBURNIA. See Xanthoxylum. 



BLACK PLT or BEAN FLY (Aphis rvmicia), 

 also called Collier and Black Dolphin. This Fly (see 

 Fig. 254) is found on many herbaceous plants. It is 

 very Injurious to Beans; hence, immediate means of de- 



Paris Green (Arseniato of Copper). Owing to its poison- 

 ous nature, this should not be used where there is fruit on 

 the trees or vegetables under them ; but there is no better 

 destroyer of hard-dying insects. Its application is very 

 simple. Mix lib. of the green with SOgals. of water, 

 and well wet the infested parts of the trees, using a fine- 

 roscd watercan or garden engine for the purpose. The 

 operator's hands should be free from sores and scratches, 

 or dangerous ulcerations may ensue. 



Gas Liquor. If this can bo obtained from a gas-house, it 

 should be diluted with twice its bulk of water, and applied 

 in the same manner as Paris Green, being washed off with 

 clean water in a few hours. If the process be repeated on 

 two or three consecutive nights, it wUl be found certain in 

 its effects ; moreover, it is not very poisonous. The finger 

 or thumb, or the Aphis brush, applied early, wiU often 

 exterminate these obnoxious insects at once. The first 

 of tlic methods above described is perhaps the most acces- 

 sible and the safest to use. Poisonous insecticides are 



