BE 13 



BEG 



jn-artisedj frrri^") '!.'e nuiti that arc designed for culuses, anemones, crocuses, pinks, oarna- 



olhci'uscs; which soon spoil? liicin. tions, and various tilhcr kinds of iIk' more choice 



It should he drav>n out regularly when it is flowers, three feet in breadth, with foot and 



wanted, and cut into equal lengths ; and in half paths, are sufficient. Beds for this purpose 



order to render it more pliable and tough, dipped are mostly edged in a neat manner with box or 



in whaler; then tucked in the apron-string of thrift. 1 hese kinds of beds arc likewise the 



t-!ie gardener, where it will be most ready for 

 being employed. 



BAY. See Laurus. 



BEAN. See Vici.v Fj'ea. 



B1':AN, kidney-, see Phaseolus. 



BEAH-BERRY. See Arbutus. 



BEAR'S-BREECH. See Acanthus. 



EEAR'S-EAR. See PiuMutA Auf.icula. 



BED, a space of ground, three, four, or more are very convenient. 



most proper and convenient for raising ditlerent 

 sorts of flow cr plants upon, either from seeds, 

 parting the roots, slips, or cuttings. 



In nursery grounds for the rearing and growth 

 of trees, shrubs, and other plants, beds of dif- 

 ferent dimensions must be emplcjyed; but for 

 those of the low and smaller growth, those of 

 four feet in breadth, with foot and half paths. 



feet in breadlii, wiili length m proportion, 

 formed in gardens for the more convenient cul- 

 ture of various sorts of crops, being mostiv boun- 

 ded by trodden paths. They are particularly 

 useful in sow ing and pricking out different kinds 

 of small seeds and plants, affording much faci- 

 lity in the business of weeding, thinning, water- 



In forming beds of this sort, they should never 

 be raised above the level of ttic natural ground, 

 except where it becomes particularly necessary, 

 either from the nature of the plants to be culti- 

 vated, or the too great retention of moisture in 

 the soil, as, where they are much raised, the 

 mould not only parts with its natural moisture 



mg, covermg, and gathering them. Wiiere a too quickly in dry seasons, but the paths, by 



greater depth uf mould than usual is necessary, being nmeh sunk, have a disagreeable ap- 



as in the common culture of Asparagus, &c.ttiey pearance. 



affbid the means of procuring it, by being raised Particular constructions of beds are often re- 



abovc the general level of the surrounding quisite in the culture of particular sorts of plants, 



ground. but these will be described in speaking of their 



Beds intended for the cultivation of aspa- culture. 



ragus, strawberries, onions, leaks, lettuces, en- 

 dive, early radishes, and various other small 

 seed crops, should in general be formed to the 

 width of about four feet, having paths or al- 

 leys between them of dift'erent breadths, accord- 



BEECH-TREE. See Fagus. 

 BEET. See Beta. 



BEGONIA, a genus comprising a plarrt of 

 the shrubby exotic kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Monoecla 



ing to their nature ; in the first mostly from a Poh/andria, and ranks in the natural order of 



foot and a half to two feet, and in the others Holoracece. 



from half a foot to a foot. The characters arc : that in the male flowers 



In the culture of cauliflowers, brocoli, dif- there is no calvx : the corolla has four petals, 



ferent sorts of cabbages, boorcole, and other of which the two opposite ones are larger, eom- 



similar plants, such kinds of beds are likewise monly roundish : the stamina have numerous 



extremely convenient for sowing and pricking filaments, tifteen to one hundred, inserted into 



out the young plants upon, previous to their the receptacle, very short, sometimes united at 



being set out. In the growth of many sorts of the base : the anthers are oblong and erect, 



pot-herbs, as mint, thyme, sage, marjoram. The female flowers are usually on the same 



savory, penny-royal, tansey, tarragon, balm, common peduncle with the males ; there is no 



hyssop, rue. Sec, they are not only convenient, calyx: the corolla consists in most species of 



but afford a neat and regular appearance. five petals, in some six, in others perhaps four. 



In the cultivation of plants of the flower kind, commonly unequal. The pistillum is an in- 



beds are also highly useful both for the ease of ferior three-sided germ, in very many winged : 



performing such operations as are necessary in the styles in most three, and bifid : the stigmas 



promoting their growth and flowering, and for are six: the pcricarpium is in most a three-cor- 



thc convenience of viewing them. Some sorts nercd, winged, three-celled capsule, opening 



also show to nmch more advantage when plantctl at the base by the wings ; some are two-eclkd, 



in beds. and others perhaps one-celled. 



For the different bulbous-rooted sorts, ashy- The species principally cultivated is B.ni- 



acinths, tulips, lilies, &c. from three feet to tidu. Shining-leaved Begonia. 



three feet and a half are good breadths, with In this species, the stems are almost upright, 



fopt and hllf or two feet alleys 5 but for ranuB- branched, round, smooth, as is the whole plant. 



