196 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



Bletia continued. 



in the bottom of the pot, which should be filled to within 

 lin. of the top with soil. The bulbs should then be in- 

 serted, and just covered. A good supply of water during 

 the growing season is necessary, and only a moderate 

 amount of heat. After growth has ceased, a period of 

 rest is required, during which time very little water 

 should be given. Propagation is effected by divisions, 

 which should bo made after the plants have finished 

 flowering, or previous to their starting into growth. 



with a white 



campanulata (bell-shaped). /. deep purple, v 

 centre, lasting a considerable time in perfection. Mexico. 



B. florlda (florid).* fl. pale rose-coloured ; lip not spurred. July 

 and August, h. 2ft. West Indies, 1786. A very pretty species. 

 (B. R. 1401.) 



B. gracilis (slender), fl. pale greenish-white ; sepals and petals 

 nearly equal, lanceolate, acuminate ; lip red and yellow ; scape 

 simple. 1. oblong, lanceolate, plicate, h. IJin. Mexico, 1830. 

 (B. R. 1681.) 



B. hyacinthlna (Hyacinth-like).* fl. purple, racemose ; lip not 

 spurred, beardless ; scape about as long as the leaves. March to 

 June. I. lanceolate. A. 1ft. China, 1802. This pretty species 

 has proved to be quite hardy. (Garden, Nov., 1879.) 



B. patula (spreading-flowered). fl. purple, spreading ; scape tall, 

 branched. March. 1. lanceolate, h. 2ft. Hayti, 1830. (B. M., 

 3518.) 



B. Shepherd!! (Shepherd's).* /. on branching spikes, purple, 

 marked down the centre of the lip with yellow. Winter. I. long, 

 lanceolate, dark green. Jamaica, 1825. (B. M. 3319.) 



B. Sherrattiana (Sherratt's).* /. about a dozen on a spike, rich 

 rosy purple ; petals very broad, twice the breadth of the sepals ; 

 lip deep purple in front, marked with white and yellow down the 

 centre, t. three to four-plicate. Pseudo-bulbs depressed. New 



ur-plic 



Grenada, 1867. (B. M. 5646.) 



B. undulata (waved). A synonym of Sehomburgltia undulata. 

 B. verecunda (modest), fl. purple ; lip not spurred. January. 

 h. 3ft. West Indies, Mexico, &c., 1733. (B. M. 930.) 



BLIGHZA SAFIDA. This is now included under 

 the genus Cupania (which see). 



BLIGHT, or BLAST. Applied to various diseases 

 of plants which are caused or accelerated either by the 

 presence of parasitic fungi or insects, or by atmospheric 

 influence. Blight generally proves fatal to the whole or 

 part of the subject attacked. 



BLIND. A term applied to plants which fail to pro- 

 duce central buds. The defect is frequently noticeable in 

 plants of the Brassica tribe, and is, perhaps, mainly due 

 to the attacks of insects. Great care should, therefore, be 

 exercised in keeping the seed-beds clear of insect pests, by 

 the application of ashes, lime and soot, or spent hops. 



BLOOD FLOWER. See Hsemantlius. 



BLOODBiOOT. See Sanguinaria canadensis and 

 Fotentilla Tormentilla. 



BLOOM. A fine powder-like substance found on Grapes, 

 Cucumbers, Plums, &c., and varying in colour in the different 

 subjects. It should be carefully protected, as it improves 

 the appearance of the fruit. The term is also often in- 

 correctly used as the plural of blossom. 



BLOSSOM. The flower of a plant, or the essential 

 organs of reproduction, with their appendages. 



BLUE-BELLS. See Campanula rotundifolia and 

 Scilla nutans. 



BLUE-BOTTLE. -Sec Ceutaurea Cyanus. 



BLUE GUM TREE. See Eucalyptus globulus. 



BLUETS. The French name for Centaurea Cyanus. 

 See also Houstonia coerulea and Vaccinium angusti- 

 folium. 



BLUMENBACHIA (in honour of John Frederick 

 Blumenbach, M.D., Professor of Medicine at Gottingen, 

 and distinguished as a comparative anatomist). ORD. 

 Loasacecs. Elegant branched, climbing or trailing, annual, 

 biennial, or perennial herbs, generally covered with stinging 

 hairs, which are very objectionable. Flowers axillary, 

 solitary, bracteate, very pretty and interesting. Leaves 

 opposite, lobed. They are of easy culture in ordinary 

 garden soil. Propagated by seeds, which should be sown 



Blumenbachia continued. 



in pots, in spring, and placed in a gentle heat, where they 

 will germinate in about a fortnight. When the seedlings 

 are large enough, and after having been previously hardened 

 off, they may be planted out in their flowering quarters, or 

 potted on and trained to a trellis. 



FIG. 257. BLUMKMJACI 



B. Chnquitensls (Chuquitan).* fl. solitary, axillary, with five to 

 ten boat-shaped red petals, which are yellow within. September. 

 I. oblong-lanceolate, pinnate ; segments pinnatifidly lobed. Peru, 

 1863. Half-hardy climbing perennial. See Fig. 257. (B. M. 61 tt.) 



B. contorta (twisted).* ft. orange-red, with cup-shaped green 

 scales within. July. 1. oblong-ovate, pinnatifld ; lobes incisely 

 toothed. Peru. Greenhouse climber, but may be grown against 

 a wall, out of doors, during the summer. (B. M. 6134.) 



FIG. 258. FLOWER OF BI.UMENBACHIA COROXATA. 



B coronata (crowned).* fl. of pure glossy whiteness, quad- 

 rangular, crown-shaped, 2in. in diameter each way June J. 

 narrow, bipinnatiflcl, cut into small segments, h. Ijft. Chili, 

 1872 This is an elegant dwarf, tufted, erect biennial, with the 

 pure white flowers imbedded in the metallic lustrous foliagp. SYN. 

 Caiophora coronata. See Fig. 258. 



B. insignis (remarkable).* fl. with whitish petals and reddish- 

 yellow scales, axillary, on long peduncles, about 1m. in diameter. 



