KAL 



K I G 



KALE. SeeBnASSiCA. 



KALMIA, a genus containing plants of the 

 hardy evergreen shrubby kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Decandria 

 Monogynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Bicorrres. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a five- 

 parted periantluum, small, permanent: segments 

 subovate, acute, rather columnar - 



the 



11a 



most humble of the two, not only produces the 

 most brilliant flowers, but in greater abundance. 

 It is reputed poisonous to sheep and cattle in 

 North America, where it is a native. 



The third is much inferior in size to the first, 

 rarelv exceeding two feet in height. It is a na- 

 tive of Newfoundland, flowering in April and May. 



The fourth species is usually in height from 



the flowers 



two to three feet, growing upright 

 one-petalled, salver-funnel-form : tubecylindric, are about the same size with those of the pre- 

 lono-er than the calvx : border with a flat disk ; ceding, are of a purple colour, and grow in ra- 



long 



the margin upright, half-five-clett : ten nectari- 

 ferous hornlets projecting outwardly from the co- 

 rolla, and surrounding k where the border of it is 

 upright : the stamina have ten awl-shaped fila- 

 ments, upright-spreading, rather shorter than the 

 corolla, inserted into the base of the corolla : an- 

 thers simple: the pistillum is a roundish germ: 

 style thread-form, longer than the corolla, bent 

 down : stigma obtuse : thepericarpium a capsule, 



cemes : the stalk, leaves, and calyx are covered 

 with strong hairs. It is a native of Carolina. 



Culture. — These plants are increased by seeds, 

 layers, and suckers. 



The first sort is mostly raised from seeds pro- 

 cured from America, which should be sown in 

 pots or boxes of light sandy mould, in the 

 spring, plunging them in an easterly border, or 

 in beds of light mould in the same aspect. 



sub<dobose, depressed, five-celled, five-valved, When placed on a gentle hot-bed they succeed 



five-partite : the seed numerous. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . K. lutifolia, 

 Broad-leaved Kalmia ; 2. K. angustifolia, Nar- 

 row-leaved Kalmia; 3. K. glauca, Glaucous 

 Kalmia; 4. K. hirsuta, Hairy Kalmia. 



The first rises with a branching stalk to the 

 height of ten or twelve feet, with very stiff 

 leaves, which are two inches long and one broad, 

 of a lucid green on their upper side, but of a pale 

 iireen on their under : they have short foot-stalks, 

 and stand without order round the branches : 

 between these the buds are formed for the next 

 year's flowers, at the extremity of the branches; 

 these buds swell during the autumn and spring 

 months, till the beginning of June, when the 

 flowers burst out from their empalements, torm- 

 ina; a round bunch, or corymbus, sitting very 

 close to the branch : they are of a pale blush 

 colour, the outside of the petal a peach colour. 

 In its native soil it continues flowering a great 

 .part of the summer, and is highly ornamental. 

 It is a native of Carolina. 



The noxious qualities of this elegant shrub 

 lessen its value. 



The second 6pecies rises from three to six feet 

 high, dividing into small woody branches, which 

 are very close, and covered with a dark-gray 

 bark : the leaves are stiff, about two inches long, 

 and half an inch broad, of a lucid green, placed 

 without order upon the branches, on slender 

 foot-stalks : the flowers are in loose bunches on 

 the side of the branches, upon slender peduncles : 

 they arc bright red when they first open, but 

 afterwards fade to a blush or peach -bloom 

 .colour. 



There arc varieties, with pale and deep-red 

 flowers, differing in their habit : the Liter, the 



better. They must, however, be inured to the 

 full air in summer, being sheltered during the 

 winter from frost. When the plants have had 

 two years' growth, they may be removed into 

 separate pots, to be continued two or more years, 

 when they may be planted out in the open 

 ground in warm situations. 



The second sort is mostly increased by layers, 

 which should be made from the young shoots, 

 and laid down in the early autumn. When they 

 are well rooted, in a year or two, they may be 

 taken off, and planted in pots separately filled 

 with bog earth, or in a warm border of the 

 same sort of earth. This is more hardy than 

 the former. 



The third sort is increased in the same way 

 as the first, and requires similar management. 



The fourth is preserved with difficulty in this 

 climate, but may be raised by layers. 



The most of the plants may likewise be in- 

 creased by suckers, which should be taken off 

 and planted in the spring, in nursery rows, for 

 two or three years, when they may be removed 

 to the places where they are to grow. 



These plants, in the more hardy sorts, afford 

 ornament and variety in the fronts of shrubbery 

 borders and clumps ; and in the more tender 

 sorts, among other potted green-house plants. 

 KIDNEY-BEAN. See'PuASEOLOS. 

 KIDNEY-BEAN TREE. See Glycine. 

 KIDNEY-VETCH. Sec Anthyllis. 

 KIGGELAUIA, a genus containing a plant 

 of the evergreen shrubbv kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Dioecia De- 

 candria, and ranks in the natural order of Co- 

 lumniferee. 



The characters are: that in the male the calyx 



1 



