B O U 



BON 



filK-d l)v tluir roots, tlu-y must be again re- 

 moved inU) larger ones, and replaced in the bark- 

 stove, plentiful supplies of fresh air being ad- 

 mitted when the weather is suitable. With 

 this culture the plants become strong, vigoious, 

 and healthy in their grov.th. 



The beauty of this shrubby plant should pro- 

 ciu'c it a place wherever singularitv and a di- 

 versity of effect are desired. 



P.OMBAX, a genus comprehending trees 

 of the exotic kinds. The Silk Cotton Tree. 



It belongs to the class and order Manadt'l- 

 pliia Poli/a.'nlria, and ranks in the natural order 

 (if Crilumnijinv, 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 kafed, tubular-canipanidate, permanent peri- 

 anthium : the mouth three- or five-cleft, obtuse, 

 and erect; the corolla is five-jiarted-, and spread- 

 ing : the segments oblong, and concave: the 

 stamina consist of five or many subulate fila- 

 ments, the length of" the corolla, t»nnate at 

 the base: the anthers are oblong, bent in, and 

 incumbent: the pistillum is a roundish germ: 

 the stN'le is filiform, the length of the stamens: 

 the stigma capitate, and five-toothed : the peri- 

 carjiium is a large, tnrbinatc-oblong, five- 

 celled, five-valved capsule: valves woody: the 

 seeds are very many, round and woolly: the 

 receiitaeulum is colunniar, and five-cornered, 

 forming the partitions. 



The species chiefly cultivaled for variety in 

 the stove are: 1. B. pentandrinn, Pcntandrous 

 Smooth Bombax ; e. £. /n'pfapfn////ii)i, flepta- 

 pliyllous Smooth Bombax; 3. B. Ceiba, Cuba or 

 Thorny Bombax. 



The first has smooth stems, which in the 

 young plants are of a bright green, but after a 

 few years are covered with a gray or ash -coloured 

 hark, which turns to a brov n as the trees grow 

 older: they seldom put out any side branches 

 till they arrive at a considerable height, unless 

 tlieir leading shoot be broken or injured, 'fhe 

 branches towards their top have leaves com- 

 posed of five, seven or nine smooth, lanceolate 

 leaflets, joined to one centre at their base, 

 where tliey adhere to the long footstalk. These 

 fall away every year, so that lor some time the 

 trees are naked; and before the new leaves come 

 (jut, the fiower-lnids appear at the ends of the 

 l)ranehcs, and soon after the flowers expand: 

 ' they are composed of five oblong purple petals, 

 with a great number of stamens in the centre; 

 w hen these fall off, they are succeeded by oval 

 fruit larirer than a swan's egg, having a thick 

 woodv cover, which, when rij^e, opens in five 

 parts, and is full of a short dark cotton, in- 

 closing many roundish seeds as large as small 

 4ieas. It is a native of the East Indies. 



The second species in its natural situation 

 grows fifty feel high before it branches, and is 

 near eighteen feet in thickness. The bark has 

 smooth, shining, sliarp prirklcs, which fall off 

 on the bod\', but remain on the branches : the 

 leaves are seven-lobed, and united at the base; 

 and the flowers are succeeded by large oval fruit 

 containing seeds and cotton. It grows every 

 where in Malabar. 



The third sort has the trunk closely arniedr 

 with short, strong sjiines : the branches come 

 out near the top, and are covered with leaves, 

 haviniT five lone; spear-shaped lobes, uniting at 

 the base; the flowers appearing at the ends of 

 the brandies, which are succeeded by large oval 

 i'ruit, filled as in the preceding. This has been 

 supposed to be the same with the first sort; but, 

 from many years' experience, Wr. Miller 

 affirms, that seeds sent him of the two sorts 

 always produced diftcrent plants, and continued 

 the same at more than twenty years growth. 



Cidiure. — These plants may be increased by 

 sowing the seeds, obtained from the West- 

 Indies, in the early spring season, on a gentle 

 hot-bed, or in pots of light IVesh earth, jjlun- 

 ging them into the tan-bed. When they have 

 attained sufficient gro\\th, they may be removed 

 into separate pots, and be replaced in the hot- 

 bed, water and shade being given when ne- 

 cessary. As they advance in growth they must 

 be shifted into larger pots filled with fresh loamy 

 earth : water should be admitted freely in tlic 

 summer season, but very moderately during 

 the winter, as the roots are apt to be destroyed 

 by much moisture: during their whole growth 

 air should be supplied freely when the weather 

 will permit, to prevent their being drawn up 

 in a weak unhealthy growth. They must be 

 constantly retained in the hot-house or stove. 



Though they attain a large growth in their 

 native situations, they only aetjuire a shrubby 

 stature when CLdtivated in this climate. From 

 the singularity and contrast which tlicir leaves 

 aflbrd to those of other plants, they produce 

 a striking diversity in large houses,. where they 

 have sufficient room to grow to a full size. 

 From their slowness in flowering in their 

 native state, they seldom produce any here. 



BONTIA, a genus comprising a plant of the 

 evergreen exotic kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Didyimnila 

 ybigiospcrmia, and ranks in the natiual order of 

 Pcrsoiiatie. 



The characters arc: that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed, five-parted perianthiuni : the leaflets arc 

 blunt, upright and permanent: the corolla is 

 one-petalled and ringent : the tube long and 

 cylindric: the border gaping: the upper lip 



