B L A 



OR, BOTANICAL DICTIONARY. 



B L I 



175 



longer than the corolla ; stigma obtuse. Pericarp : capsule 

 obtuse, quadrangular, four-celled, gaping at the angles. 

 Seeds: some roundish. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Calix: four- 

 parted. Corolla : four-cleft. Stamina ; inserted into the 

 receptacle. Capsule : four-celled, many-seeded. These are 

 all shrubs, inhabitants of the Cape ; requiring the same 

 shelter and treatment with other Cape plants, in the dry- 

 stove ; and may be increased by cuttings, like the Ericas or 

 Heaths, which they much resemble. The species are, 



1. Blaeria Ericoides ; Heath-leaved Blxria. Antherse awn- 

 less, standing out ; calices four-leaved ; bractes the length 

 of the calix ; leaves in fours, oblong, acerose, hairy, imbri- 

 cate. It is about the height of common Heath. 



2. Blaeria Ciliaris; Ciliated Bkeria. Flowers in a head; 

 calices ciliate, by the whiteness of which the plant is also 

 readily known. 



3. Blaeria Articulata; Jointed-leaved Bl<eria. Stamina 

 protruded, two-parted ; corollas cylindric. This is a dis- 

 torted shrub, about the stature of common Heath. 



4. Blaeria Purpurea ; Purple-flowered BUeria. Stamina 

 included, two-parted ; corollas oblong, straight ; flowers ter- 

 minating, aggregate ; peduncles erect. 



5. Blaeria Pusilla; Dwarf Blaeria. Flowers scattered, co- 

 rollas funnel-form : this must be cautiously distinguished 

 from the Heaths. 



6. Blaeria Muscosa ; Moss-leaved 'Blttria. Antherse awn- 

 less, almost standing out; calices one-leafed, hairy; corollas 

 bell-shaped, hairy in the upper part ; flowers axillary; stig- 

 mas peltate. It flowers from June till August. 



Blakea ; a genus of the class Dodecandria, order Monogy- 

 nia. GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: perianth of the fruit in- 

 ferior, six-leaved ; leaflets ovate, concave, expanding, the 

 size of the flower ; perianth of the flower superior ; margin 

 quite entire, hexangular, membranaceous. Corolla : petals 

 six, ovate, expanding, equal. Stamina : filamenta twelve, 

 subulate, erect ; antherae triangular, depressed, concatenated 

 into a ring. Pistil : germen inferior, obovate, crowned with 

 the margin of the calix ; style subulate, the length of the 

 flower; stigma acute. Pericarp: capsule obovate, six-celled. 

 Seeds: very many. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Calix: inferior 

 six-leaved; superior entire. Petals: six. Capsule: six- 

 celled, many-seeded. These trees have not been cultivated 

 in Europe. The species are, 



1. Blakea Trinervia. Two calicled : leaves nerveless, very 

 finely striated across, oblong-ovate, petioled, opposite. 

 Flowers opposite, solitary. It grows generally to the height 

 of ten or fourteen feet. It is certainly one of the most beau- 

 tiful productions of America. It supports itself for a time 

 by the help of some neighbouring shrub or tree, but it grows 

 gradually more robust, and at length acquires a pretty mode- 

 rate stem, which divides into many weakly declining branches, 

 well supplied on all sides with beautiful rosy blossoms. It 

 thrives best in the West Indies, on the sides of ponds or 

 rivulets ; and when planted in gardens, where it makes a 

 very elegant appearance, it ought to be supported while it is 

 young and weakly. Native of cool moist places, in Jamaica. 



2. Blakea Triplinervia. Uncalicled. This tree grows to 

 the height of sixteen feet. Leaves triple-nerved, opposite, 

 petioled, six or seven inches long, ribbed underneath, and 

 having a nerve running along the edge ; peduncles three- 

 flowered ; seeds minute. The fruit is of a yellow colour, 

 and sapid. It is a native of Surinam, and also of Guiana, 

 where it flowers and fruits in May. 



Blasia; a genus of the class Cryptogamia, order Algae, or 



Flags. The only species yet brought to light is, 



1. lilasia Pusilla ; Dwarf Blasia. It grows on the sides 



of ditches and brooks, and in moist shady places in a sandy 

 soil, in many parts of Europe. It is found with us on Houns- 

 low Heath, also near Manchester and Halifax. 



Blechnum ; a genus of the class Cryptogamia, order Filices, 

 or Ferns. GENERK: CHARACTER. Fructifications disposed in 

 two lines, approaching to the rib of the frond, and parallel. 

 These ferns are natives of warm or hot countries, and re- 

 quire protection. They are increased by parting the roots 

 The species are, 



1. Blechnum Occidentale ; South American Blfchnum. 

 Fronds pinnate ; pinnas lanceolate, opposite, emarginate at 

 the base. Native of the West India islands, and the conti- 

 nent of South America. 



2. Blechnum Orientale ; Chinese Blechnum. Fronds pin- 

 nate, three feet long; pinnas linear, alternate. Found in 

 China, and also in the Society Isles. . 



3. Blechnum Australe ; Cape Blechnum. Fronds pinnate; 

 pinnas subsessile, cordate-lanceolate, quite entire, the lowest 

 opposite. Native of the Cape of Good Hope. 



4. Blechnum Virginicum ; Virginian Blechnum. Fronds 

 pinnate ; pinnas multifid. Native of Virginia and Carolina. 



5. Blechnum Japonicum ; Japanese Blechnum. Frond 

 bipinnatifid ; pinnules ovate, obtuse, serrated. Native of 

 Japan. 



6. Blechnum Radicans ; Rooted-leaved Blechnum. Fronds 

 bipinnate ; pinnas lanceolate-crenulated; the lines of fructi- 

 fication interrupted. Native of Virginia and Madeira. 



Blights. There is nothing so destructive to a fruit-garden 

 as blights ; nor is there any thing in the business of garden- 

 ing which requires more of our serious attention, than the 

 endeavouring to prevent or guard against this great enemy of 

 gardens. 1. Blights are often caused by a continued dry 

 easterly wind for several days together, without the interven- 

 tion of showers or any morning dew, by which the perspira- 

 tion in the tender blossoms is stopped, so that in a short time 

 their colour is changed, and they wither and decay ; and if it 

 so happen that there is a long continuance of the same weather, 

 it equally affects the tender leaves ; for their perspiring 

 matter is hereby thickened and rendered glutinous, closely 

 adhering to the surface of the leaves, and becomes a proper 

 nutriment to those small insects, which are always found 

 preying upon the leaves and tender branches of fruit-trees 

 whenever this blight happens : but it is not these insects which 

 are the first cause of blights, as has been imagined by some ; 

 though it must be allowed that whenever these insects meet 

 with such a proper food, they multiply exceedingly, and are 

 instrumental in promoting the distemper; so that many times 

 when the season proves favourable to them, and no proper 

 care has been taken to prevent their mischief, it is surprising 

 to think how whole walls of trees have suffered by this infec- 

 tion. The best remedy yet known for this distemper, is gently 

 to wash and sprinkle over the trees from time to time with 

 common water, that is, such water as has not had any thing 

 steeped in it ; and the sooner this is done after danger is 

 apprehended, the better; and if the young and tender shoots 

 seem to be much infected, wash them with a woollen cloth so 

 as to clear them, if possible, from all this glutinous matter, 

 that their respiration and perspiration may not be obstructed, 

 and if some broad flat pans or tubs of water be placed near 

 the trees, that the vapours exhaled from the water maybe re- 

 ceived by the trees, it will keep their tender parts in a ductile 

 state, and greatly help them : but whenever this operation of 

 washing the trees is performed, it should be early in the day, 

 that the moisture may be exhaled before the cold of the night 

 comes on, especially if the nights be frosty : nor should it 

 be done when the sun shines very hot upon the wall, which. 



