158 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



BARBS. Hooked hairs. 



BARK. The outer integuments of a plant beyond the 

 wood, and formed of tissue parallel with it. 



BARK-BOUND. This condition is generally the re- 

 sult of very rich soil, or insufficient drainage. In most 

 fruit trees a gummy exudation takes place. If caused 

 by stagnancy, thorough drainage should immediately be 

 effected. Scrubbing the stem is also recommended. Slit- 

 ting the bark with a knife is likely to do more harm than 

 good, particularly so in the hands of the inexperienced. 



BARKERIA (name commemorative of the late G. 

 Barker, of Birmingham, an ardent cultivator of orchids). 

 ORD. Orchidece. From a scientific point of view, this 

 genus should be included in Epidendrum. Very handsome, 

 deciduous, epiphytal, cool-house Orchids, having slender 

 pseudo-bulbs, from Gin. to 12in. high, from the top of which 

 the numerous flower-stems are produced. In a cool, airy 

 temperature, these plants grow vigorously, suspended in 

 pans or small baskets close beneath the glass, and slightly 

 shaded with tiffany. They succeed well also on flat blocks 

 of wood, on the top of which they should be tied, without 

 any moss, as their freely-produced, thick, fleshy roots soon 

 cling to the blocks. During the season of growth, a good 

 supply of water is needed, and in hot weather it may be 

 applied three or four times daily ; the blocks and plants 

 are best immersed in water; but when at rest, a slight 

 watering twice or three times a week will suffice. Pro- 

 pagated by divisions, just previous to the commencement of 

 new growth. 



B. elcgans (elegant).* fl. in loose racemes, four or five in each ; 

 each blossom about 2in. across ; sepals and petals dark rose ; lip 

 reddish crimson, spotted and edged with a lighter colour. Winter. 

 h. 2ft. Mexico, 1836. Of this beautiful slender-growing species, 

 there are two or three varieties in cultivation. (B. M. 4784.) 

 B. Lindlcyana (Lindley's).* fl., raceme 2ft. long, very slender, 

 bearing from five to seven blossoms near its apex ; sepals and 

 petals rosy purple; lip white, with a deep purple blotch at its 

 apex. September, remaining in beauty for a considerable time. 

 h. 2ft. Costa Rica, 1842. (B. M. 6098.) 



B. L. Ccnteras (Center's).* fl. rosy lilac ; lip oblong ; margins 

 crenulated or crisped ; apex blotched deep purple. Costa Rica, 1873. 

 B. mclanocaulon (dark-stemmed).* /. on an erect spike ; sepals 



,n at the top, 

 itre. August. 



B. Skinner! (Skinner's).* fl. deep rose-coloured ; spikes 6in. to9in. 

 long, from the apices of the ripened growth, often branched, form- 

 ing a dense mass of deep purple blossoms, which, if kept dry, lasts 

 from eight to ten weeks, h. lift. Guatemala. (P. M. B. 15, 1.) 



B. S. supcrbum (superb).* fl. dark rose ; lip somewhat deeper 

 tinted, and marked towards the base with yellow streaks. Guate- 

 mala, This far surpasses the type in size and number of flowers, 

 as well as in brilliancy of colour. (W. S. O. 38.) 



B. spcctabllia (showy).* fl. quite 2in. across, produced eight or 

 ten together, on a spike issuing from the top of the pseudo-bulb ; 

 sepals and petals oblong, acuminate, rosy lilac ; lip white, mar- 

 gined with deep lilac or rosy purple, and dotted or spotted with 

 crimson. This very distinct and desirable species lasts from eight 

 to ten weeks in beauty, and forms a very handsome object when 

 placed in the drawing-room and covered over with a large glass 

 shade. Guatemala, 1843. (B. M. 4094.) 

 BARKING-IRONS. Instruments used in taking off 



the bark of trees. 



BARKLYA (named after Sir H. Barkly, formerly 



Governor of South Australia). ORD. Leguminosce. A large 



greenhouse tree, thriving in a compost of loam and leaf 



mould. Propagated by seeds and cuttings; the latter 



should be half ripened, and placed in sandy soil, under a i 



bell glass, in a cool house. 



B. syringifolla (Syringa-leaved). fl. golden yellow, numerous, ' 

 disposed in axillary or terminal racemes. I. alternate, simple, 

 coriaceous, h. 30ft. Moreton Bay, 1858. 



BARK STOVE. A hothouse adapted for moisture- 

 loving exotics, and having a pit from 2ft. to 4ft. deep, con- 

 taining fermenting matter, chiefly tanners' bark, by which 

 means a steady heat is maintained for a considerable time. 

 The Bark Stove is now almost obsolete. Bark is, however, 

 still largely used in Pine pits, and in some propagating 

 beds; but such beds are generally superseded by hot- water 

 or hot-air tanks. 



and petals rosy lilac ; lip broader at the base than at the top, 

 reddish-purple, having a blotch of green in the centr 

 h. 1ft. Costa Rica, 1848. Very rare. 



BARLERIA (named after J. Barrelier, a French 



botanist of the seventeenth century). ORD. Acanthacem. 



A genus of interesting and ornamental stove evergreen 



shrubs. Flowers axillary or terminal ; calyx four-sepaled, 



the two outer larger than the others. They thrive best 



if grown in loam and peat, with a little rotten dung added. 



Propagated by cuttings made of the young wood, and 



placed in a similar compost, under a bell glass, in stove 



temperature, with bottom heat. 



B. flava (yellow).* fl. yellow, aggregate, terminal, tubular ; bracts 

 very narrow, setose. Summer. I. lanceolate, hairy, entire. Plant 

 unarmed, h. 3ft. India, 1816. SVN. B. mitis. (B. M. 4113.) 



B. Gibson! (Gibson's), fl. pale purple, rather large, sub-terminal. 

 Winter. I. ovate or oblong-lanceolate. India, 1867. A glabrous 

 stove shrub, of branched habit. (B. M. 5628.) 



B. Leichtensteiniana (Leichtenstein's).* /. very curious; 

 spikes axillary, 2in. to 3in. long, ovoid or oblong, consisting of a 

 large number of closely packed overlapping bracts, all turned to 

 the fore or lower part of the spike ; bracts ovate-acuminate, 

 mucronate, spine-toothed, one-ribbed, with prominent and curved 

 veins, and lin. to IJin. long. I. opposite, lin. to 2in. long, linear- 

 lanceolate, entire, mucronate, tapering at the base into a very 

 short stalk. Branches slender, virgate, sub-angular. South Africa, 

 1870. This plant is covered over its whole surface with close, 

 white, hoary down. (G. C. 1870, p. 73.) 



B. longlfolia (long-leaved), fl. white ; spines of whorls six. 

 Summer. I. ensiform, very long, rough, h. 2ft. India, 1781. 

 This is a biennial. 



B. lupulina (Hop-headed). /. yellowish ; spikes ovate ; bracts 

 ovate, concave, imbricated. August. I. lanceolate, quite entire ; 

 spines simple, spreading, h. 2ft. Mauritius, 1824. 



B. Mackenii (MacKen's).* fl. purple, large, in a terminal raceme. 

 Spring. I. recurved, narrow-ovate, or elliptic-lanceolate, sub- 

 acute, petioled. Natal, 1870. (B. M. 5866.) 



B. mitis (small). Synonymous with B. flava. 



B. prionltls (Prionitis-like). fl. orange ; spines axillary, pedate, 

 in fours. Summer. I. quite entire, lanceolate-ovate. A. 3ft. 

 India, 1759. 



BARLEY. See Hordeum vulgfare. 



BARNADESIA (named after Michael Barnadez, a 

 Spanish botanist). ORD. Composite. Pretty greenhouse 

 deciduous shrubs, requiring a dry atmosphere. They should 

 be grown in peat, loam, and sand, in equal proportions. 

 Propagated either by seeds, sown in hotbeds in March, or 

 by cuttings, made of half-ripened wood in April, and placed 

 in sand under a bell glass. 



FIG. 206. BARNADESIA ROSKA. 



