BOM 



BON 



filled by their roots, they must be again re- 

 moved into larger ones, and replaced in the bark- 

 stove, plentiful supplies of fresh air being ad- 

 mitted when the weather is suitable. With 

 this culture the plants become strong, vigorous, 

 and healthy in their growth. 



The beauty of this shrubby plant should pro- 

 cure it a place wherever singularity and a di- 

 versity- of effect are desired. 



BOMBAX, a genus comprehending trees 

 of the exotic kinds. The Silk Cotton Tree. 



It belongs to the class and order Monadel- 

 pltia Polyandria, and ranks in the natural order 

 of Columniferte. 



The characters are: that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed, tulmlar-campanulate, permanent peri- 

 anthium : the mouth three- or five-cleft, obtuse, 

 and erect: the corolla is five-parted, and spread- 

 ing : the segments oblong, and concave: the 

 stamina consist of five or many subulate fila- 

 ments, the length of the corolla, connate at 

 the base : the anthers are oblong, bent in, and 

 incumbent : the pistillum is a roundish germ : 

 the style is filiform, the length of the stamens: 

 the stigma capitate, and five-toothed: the peri- 

 carpium is a large, tuibinate-oblong, five- 

 celled, five-valved capsule: valves woody: the 

 seeds are very many, round and woolly: the 

 rcceptaculum is columnar, and five-cornered, 

 forming the partitions. 



The species chiefly cultivated for variety in 

 the stove are: 1. B. pentaiidrum, Pentandrous 

 Smooth Bombax ; 2. B. heptaphylluni, Hepta- 

 phyllous Smooth Bombax; 3. B. Ceiba, Cuba or 

 Thorny Bombax. 



The first has smooth stems, which in the 

 young plants are of a bright green, but after a 

 Few years are covered with a gray or ash -coloured 

 bark, which turns to a brown as the trees grow 

 older: they seldom put out any side branches 

 till they arrive at a considerable height, unless 

 their leading shoot be broken or injured. The 

 branches towards their top have leaves com- 

 posed of five, seven or nine smooth, lanceolate 

 leaflets, joined to one centre at their base, 

 where they adhere to the long footstalk. These 

 fall away every year, so that for some time the 

 trees are naked ; and before the new leaves come 

 out, the flower-buds appear at the ends of the 

 branches, and soon after the flowers expand : 

 they are composed of five oblong purple petals, 

 with a great number of stamens in the centre; 

 when these fall off, they are succeeded by oval 

 fruit larger than a swan's egg, having a thick 

 woody cover, which, when ripe, opens in five 

 parts, and is full of a short dark cotton, in- 

 closing many roundish seeds as large as small 

 peas. It is a native of the East Indies. 



The second species in its natural situation 

 grows fifty feet high before it branches, and is 

 near eighteen feet in thickness. The bark has 

 smooth, shining, sharp prickles, which fall oft' 

 on the body, but remain on the branches : the 

 leaves are seven-lobed, and united at the base ; 

 and the flowers are succeeded by large oval fruit 

 containing seeds and cotton. It grows every 

 where in Malabar. 



The third sort has the trunk closely armed 

 with short, strong spines : the branches come 

 out near the top, and are covered with leaves, 

 having ihc long spear-shaped lobes, uniting at 

 the base; the flowers appearing at the ends of 

 the branches, which are succeeded by large oval 

 fruit, filled as in the preceding. This has been 

 supposed to be the same with the first sort; but, 

 from many years' experience, Mr. Miller 

 affirms, that seeds sent him of the two sorts 

 always produced different plants, and continued 

 the same at more than twenty years growth. 



Culture. — These plants may be increased by 

 sowing the seeds, obtained from the West- 

 Indies, in the early spring season, on a gentle 

 hot-bed, or in pots of light fresh earth, plun- 

 ging them into the tan-bed. When they have 

 attained sufficient growth, they may be removed 

 into separate pots, and be replaced in the hot- 

 bed, water and shade being given when ne- 

 cessary. As they advance in growth they must 

 be shifted into larger pots filled with fresh loamy 

 earth : water should be admitted freely in the 

 summer season, but very moderately during 

 the winter, as the roots are apt to be destroyed 

 by much moisture : during their whole growth 

 air should be supplied freely when the weather 

 will permit, to prevent their being drawn up 

 in a weak unhealthy growth. They must be 

 constantly retained in the hot-house or stove. 



Though they attain a large growth in their 

 native situations, they only acquire a shrubby 

 stature when cultivated in this climate. From 

 th* singularity and contrast which their leaves 

 afford to those of other plants, they produce 

 a striking diversity in large houses, where they 

 have sufficient room to grow to a full size. 

 From their slowness in flowering in their 

 native state, they seldom produce any here. 



BONTIA, a genus comprising a plant of the 

 evergreen exotic kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Dldynamia 

 Angiospermia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Personates. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed, five-parted pe.rianthium : the leaflets are 

 blunt, upright and permanent: the corolla is 

 one-petalled and ringent: the tube long and 

 cylindric: the border gaping: the upper lip 



