AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HORTICULTURE. 



211 



Bravoa continued. 



plant, hardy in very sheltered positions, but in exposed 

 situations requiring a slight protection in winter. It is 

 an admirable plant for cool-house culture, and delights 

 in a compost of light rich loam, leaf mould, and sand. 

 Propagated by offsets, which are obtainable in autumn ; 

 or by seeds, which should be sown as soon as ripe. 



B. gemlnlflora (twin-flowered).* Twin Flower, fl. rich orange- 

 red, tubular, drooping, disposed in the upper part of the flower- 

 - ' July. I.:' 



, linear, ensiform, 



stems, which are sometimes 2ft. long, 

 pale green. Mexico, 1841. (B. M. 4741.) 



BRAZILIAN TEA. See Hex paragnariensis and 

 Stachytarpheta jamaicensis. 



BRAZIL NUT. See Bertholletia, 



BRAZIL WOOD. See Cassalpinia brasilieiisis. 



BREAD FRUIT. See Artocarpus. 



BREAD NUT. See Brosimum. 



BREDIA (named in honour of Professor J. G. S. van 

 Bred). ORD. Melastomacece. An ornamental greenhouse 

 shrub, thriving in rich light loam, leaf soil, and peat. Pro- 

 pagated by cuttings of the ripened shoots, inserted in sandy 

 loam, under a hand glass, in heat ; or by seeds. 

 B. hirsuta (hairy).* fl. rose-pink, about iin. across, disposed in 



loose, terminal, many-flowered cymes. Autumn. I. ovate acumi- 

 nate, hairy. Japan, 1870. (B. M. 6647.) 



The small particles or refuse of gas coke. 

 It constitutes a very cheap fuel, but, unless mixed with 

 good coke, is only suitable for boilers of the saddle type, 

 having a good draught. Breeze must not, however, be con- 

 founded with coke-dust. 



BREVOORTIA COCCINEA. See Brodiaa coc- 

 cinea. 



Br exia continued. 



Cuttings, with their leaves not shortened, strike readily in 

 sand under a hand glass, in heat ; or a leaf taken off with a 

 bud attached will grow. Leaves as in accompanying 

 illustration (Pig. 277), and long, narrow, spiny-toothed 

 ones, are often produced on the same plant. Probably the 

 two species enumerated below are simply forms of one. 

 Well hardened off, strong growing plants of B. madagas- 

 cariensis are very suitable for sub-tropical gardening. 

 B. madagascariensis (Madagascar).* I. obovate or oblong 

 entire, while young minutely gland-toothed, h. 20ft. Madagas- 

 car, 1812. See Fig. 277. 



B. spinosa (spiny). I. lanceolate, 20in. long, 2in. broad, spiny- 

 toothed, h. 20ft. Madagascar, 1820. 

 BREXIACE2E. A section of Saxifragece. 

 BRIAR. See Rosa. 



BRICKS. In England, the standard thickness of 

 brick walls is a Brick and a-half, that is, the length of 

 one brick and the breadth of another. Thirty-two paving 

 bricks, laid flat, will form one square yard of flooring ; if 

 set on edge, sixty-four will be required for the same space. 

 The best Bricks for walls are those termed Stocks, which 

 are well burnt. Grizzells and Place Bricks, being only 

 partially burnt, are soft and not durable. In various parts 

 of the kingdom, different clays and methods of manufacture 

 cause a disparity in the weight and appearance of the 

 finished article. Several forms are made to suit various 

 purposes, but the standard size is 9in. long by 4in. wide, 

 by 2iin. thick, although, since the remission of the duty, 

 some slight variations occur, owing to shrinkage and other 

 causes. Fire Bricks are made of a particular kind of clay, 

 which will stand intense heat when once burnt, and are 

 used in furnaces and other places where durability under 

 great heat is a desideratum. Fire-clay should always be 

 used in place of mortar in building with 

 these. 



BRILLANTAISIA (named after M. 

 Brillant). ORD. Acanthacece. A very small 

 genus of erect, branching, stove evergreen 

 shrubs. Flowers large, in terminal pani- 

 cles ; corolla ringent; upper lip falcate and 

 overarching, with a trifid apex, the lower 

 one large, spreading, shortly trifid. Leaves 

 ovate-cordate, on long petioles. For cul- 

 ture, see Barleria. 



B. owariensis (Owarian).* /. violet-blue; 

 cymes sub-sessile, loose ; panicles terminal. 

 March. I. large, opposite, petiolate. A. 3ft. 

 Western Africa, 1853. This plant, in its habit 

 of growth, resembles some of the largest species 

 ofSalvia. (B. M. 4717.) 



BRISTLES. Stiff hairs. 

 BRISTLY. Covered with stiff hairs. 

 BRISTLY - TOOTHED. Furnished 

 with teeth like bristles, or with the. teeth 

 ending each in a bristle. 



BRIZA (from briza, to nod). Quak- 

 ing Grass. ORD. Qraminece. A genus of 

 ornamental hardy Grasses. Panicle loose; 

 calyx two-valved ; corolla two-valved, awn- 

 less ; exterior one ventricose, interior small 

 and flat. Fruit adnate with the corolla. 

 These extremely graceful plants delight in 

 a soil composed of loam, leaf soil, and peat. 



FIG. 277. FLOWERING BRANCH OP BREXIA MADAGASCARTENSIS. Seeds may be sown in spring or autumn. 



For decorative purposes, the branches should 



BREXIA (from brexis, rain ; the large leaves afford be gathered as soon as full grown, and loosely placed in 

 protection against rain). ORD. Saxifragece. Excellent stove flower-stands, to dry. Tufts of these plants look extremely 

 trees. Flowers green, in axillary umbels, surrounded by pretty on the rockery, or amongst hardy Ferns, 

 bracts on the outside. Leaves alternate, simple, dotless, B< gracilis (graceful). A synonym of B. minor. 

 and furnished with minute stipules. Stems nearly simple. 

 They require a compost of two parts loam and one of peat, 

 with the addition of a little sand, to keep the whole open. 

 A liberal supply of water must be given at all seasons. 



(greatest).* fl., spikelets oblong-cordate, thirteen 

 to seventeen-flowered ; panicle nodding at the end. June and 

 July. i. long-linear, acuminate, h. lift. South Europe, 1633. 

 Annual. See Fig. 278. 



