192 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



BIXA (its South American name). Arnatto. OBD. 



Bixinece. Stove evergreen trees, with diohotomons panicles 



of large reddish flowers, broad cordate leaves, and prickiy 



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). /. pale peach-coloured ; corymbs ter. 



minal, panicled ; peduncles two, three, and four-flowered. May 



to August. I. cordate, ovate, acuminated, entire or angular. 



smooth on both surfaces. The drug called Arnatto is prepared 



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



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



cheese, and also as an orange or yellow dye for silks. A. 30ft. 



West Indian Islands, 1690. See Fig. 253. (B. M. 1456.) 



BIXINEJE. An order of smoothish tropical trees or 

 shrubs, not remarkable for any particular beauty. Flowers 



Black Ply continued. 



struction must be employed directly the insect appears. 

 Its eztermination is an extremely difficult matter ; but 

 the following remedies are very effectual: 



Fio. 254. THE BEAN FLY. 

 a, Female, magnified ; 6, Male, natural size, and magnified. 



Tobarco Water. This, made and applied as recommended 

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

 dered more certain by the employment of soapsuds, instead 

 of clear w^ter, in its manufacture. 



PIG. 253. FLOWERING BRANCH OP BIXA ORELLANA. 



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

 stamens indefinite in number, inserted in the receptacle 

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

 minal, bracteate. Fruit fleshy or dry. Leaves alternate, 

 simple,entire,or slightly lobed, usually full of pellucid dots. 

 The genera best known are Azara, Bixa, and Flacourtia. 



BLACK BEARBERRY. See Arctostaphylos 

 alpina. 



BLACK BEETLES. See Cockroaches. 



BLACKBERRY. See Rubus fruticosa. 



BLACK BRTONY. See Tamus communis. 



BLACK BULLACE. See Pmntts insititia. 



BLACKBURNIA. See Xanthoxylum. 



BLACK PLY or BEAN PLY (Aphis rumicis), 

 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- 



Parts Green (Arseniate 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- 

 rosed 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 be 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 will be found certain in 

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

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

 exterminate these obnoxious insects at once. The first 

 of the methods above described is perhaps the most acces- 

 sible and the safest to use. Poisonous insecticides are 



