BOR 



BOR 



There are other species, which may be culti- 

 vated where variety of these sorts of plants is 

 wanted. 



Culture. — These plants arc easily propagated, 

 either by the seeds., or dividing the roots accord- 

 ing to the kinds. 



In the first sort, the best mode is by sowing 

 the seeds annually in the autumn or spring 

 months in the pla'ccs where the plants arc to 

 stand, or by letting the plants shed their seeds, 

 keeping them from standing too closely together. 

 When they an- intended for the produce of their 

 tender young leaves, they may be sown broad- 

 cast in small beds at different time 1- , from the 

 spring till autumn, in the garden, covering the 

 seed by the rake; afterwards, when of proper 



Srowthj keeping the plants thinned out to a good 

 istance, as six or eight inches, or more. In 

 this way supplies of green leaves and flowers 

 are provided in succession, for summer, autumn, 

 and the following early spring. 



The second species is increased with much 

 facility by parting the roots, and planting them 

 out where they are to remain, in the autumn. 

 It may also be raised by sowing the seeds at the 

 same season, where they are to remain, keeping 

 the plants while young perfectly free from 

 weeds. 



The first sort, and varieties, will succeed in 

 almost any soil or situation, being perfectly 

 hardy ; but the latter species, as the flower-stems 

 are put forth very early in the spring, requires a 

 dry soil, and warm aspect, to guard against 

 the effects of frost. Such effects are much 

 obviated by having their roots planted in dry 

 lime or other rubbish, as well as their over lux- 

 uriant growth prevented, and the danger of 

 frosts consequently greatly lessened. When 

 these plants have been once planted, they con- 

 tinue for many years with little trouble, and are 

 not liable to be injured by the vicissitudes of heat 

 or cold. 



The first species is employed both as a plant 

 of utility and ornament, being valued by some 

 for culinary purposes, as a pot-herb; and for 

 the young leaves and flowers to be made use of 

 in the way of sallads, as well as for being put 

 in wine to form cool tankards. It may also be 

 planted on borders or clumps in pleasure-grounds 

 for variety. 



The latter sort is wholly employed as a flower- 

 ing ornamental plant. 



BORBONIA, a genus comprising plants 

 of the shrubby exotic kind, for the green-house. 



It belongs to the class and order Diqdelphia 

 Decandria, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Jjegumiwsce. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed, semiquinquefid, turbinate perianthium, 

 half the length of the corolla : divisions lanceolate, 

 acuminate, rigid, pungent, and subequal; the 

 lowest longer than the rest: the corolla is penta- 

 petalous, papilionaceous, and hirsute on the 

 outside: banner reflected, and obtuse: claw 

 the length of the calyx : wings semicordate, a 

 little shorter than the banner: keel two-petalled, 

 lunulate, and obtuse: the stamina have nine/ 

 filaments, united into a cylinder gaping longi- 

 tudinally above, rising at the ends : the anthers 

 are small : the pistillum is a subulate germ : 

 the style very short, and ascending: the stigma 

 obtuse and emarginate: the pericarpium is a 

 roundish legume, acuminate, one-celled, mu- 

 cronate with a spine : the seed kidney-form. 



The species mostly cultivated for ornament 

 and variety are : 1 . B. lanceolata, Spear-leaved 

 Borbonia; 2. B. cordata, Heart-leaved Bor- 

 bonia; 3. B. crenata, Notch-leaved Borbonia. 



The first has a stem a foot high, smooth, 

 round, and ash-coloured: divided into a few 

 branches, which are red whilst young: the 

 leaves are stem-clasping, long, narrow, ending 

 in a sharp point. The flowers come out from 

 between the leaves at the ends of the branches 

 in small clusters : they are yellow, and shaped 

 like those of broom. It flowers in August and 

 September. 



In the second species the leaves are broader 

 than in the first: the stalks are slender, and 

 covered with white bark : the leaves are stem- 

 clasping, and terminated by sharp points, like 

 those of butcher's broom. The flowers are 

 produced in small clusters at the ends of the 

 branches, and are of the same shape and colour 

 as those of the above sort, but larger. The 

 calyx is five-cleft, nearly regular, hirsute, with 

 spiny segments, and the whole corolla tomen- 

 tose on the outside. 



The third has the leaves cordate stem-clasping, 

 net-veined, and pointed: the flowers are in 

 racemes. 



All these species are natives of the Cape. 



Culture. — These plants may be increased either 

 by sowing the seeds obtained from abroad iu pots 

 of lightloamy earth as soonas procured, and when 

 of proper growth in the autumn placed in an old 

 tan hot-bed under frames to be protected during 

 the winter from frost and too much moisture ; 

 and in the spring sowing, plunged in a moderate 

 hot-bed in order to promote the vegetation of 

 the seeds, and when the plants have attained a 

 sufficient growth, removed into separate small 

 pots, being replunged into the hot-bed, proper 

 shade and water being given; or by laying down 



