K A L 



K 1 G 



KALE. Sec Brassica. 



KALMIA, a genus containing plants of the 

 hardy evercreen shrubby kind. 



It beloiigs to the class and order Deeandria 

 Monog;/nia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Bicoriies. 



The chaiacteis are : that the calyx is a five- 

 parted perianthium,small, permanent: segments 

 subovate, acute, rather columnar : the corolla 

 one-petalled, sal^'er-funnel-fornl: tubecylindric, 

 longer than the calyx : border with a flat disk ; 

 the margin upright, half-fi\'e-cleft : ten nectari- 

 ferous hornlets prcjeclingoutvvardlvfrom the co- 

 rolla, and surrounding ii where the border of it is 

 upright : the stamina have ten awl-shaped fila- 

 ments, upriglit-spreading, rather shorter than the 

 corolla, inserted mto the base of the corolla : an- 

 thers simple: the pistillum is a roundish germ: 

 style thread-form, longer than the corolla, bent 

 down : stigma obtuse : thepcricarpium a capsule, 

 Bubglobosp, depressed, five-celled, five-valved, 

 five-partite : the seed numerous. 



The species cultivated are: I. K. lutifolia. 

 Broad-leaved Kalmia; 2. K. angustifolia, Nar- 

 row-leaved Kalmia; 3. K. glaiica. Glaucous 

 Kalmia; 4. K. hhsieta, Hairy Kalmia. 



The first rises with a branching stalk to the 

 height of ten or tw-elve feet, with very stiff 

 leaves, which are two inches long and one broad, 

 of a lucid green on their upper side, but of a pale 

 green on their under : they have short foot-stalks, 

 and stand without order round the branches : 

 between these the buds are formed for the next 

 year's flowers, at the extremity of the branches; 

 these buds swell during the autumn and spring 

 months, till the beginning of June, when the 

 flowers burst out from their empalements, form- 

 ing a round bunch, or corymbus, sitting very 

 close to the branch : they are of a pale blush 

 ^colour, the outside of the petal a peach colour. 

 In its native soil it continues flowering a great 

 rpart of the summer, and is highly ornamental. 

 It is a native of Carolina. 



The noxious qualities of this elegant shrub 

 :lessen its^alue. 



The second -species rises from three to six feet 

 high, dividing into -small woody branches, which 

 .are very close, and covered with a dark -gray 

 bark : the leaves are stiff, about two inches lono-, 

 and half an inch broad, of a lucid green, placed 

 without order upon the branches, on slender 

 i'oot-stalks : the flowers are in loose bunches on 

 the side of the Ijranches, upon slender peduncles: 

 they are bright Ted when the}' first open, but 

 afterwards fade to a blush or peach -bloom 

 •colour. 



There are varieties, with pale and deqp-Ted 

 flowers, diflering in their habit : the latter, the 



most humble of the two, not only produces tlic 

 most brilliant flowers, but m greater abundance. 

 It is reputed poisonous to sheep and cattle ia 

 North America, where it is a native. 



The third is much inferior in size to the ilrst, 

 rarely exceeding two feet in height. It is a na- 

 tiveof Newfoundland, flowering in April and May. 



The fourth species is usually in height from 

 two to three feet, growing upright : the flowers 

 are about the same size with those of thv- pre- 

 ceding, are of a purple colour, and grow in ra- 

 cemes ; the stalk, leaves, and calvx are covered 

 with strong hairs. It is a native of Carolina. 



Culture. — These plants are increased by seeJa, 

 layers, and suckers. 



The first sort is mostly raised from -seeds firo- 

 cured from America, which should be sown in 

 pots or boxes of light sandy mould, in the 

 spring, plunging iheiii in an easterly border, or 

 in beds of light monld in the same aspect. 

 When placed on a gentle hot-bed they succeed 

 bettei^. They must, however, be inured to the 

 full air in suminer, being sheltered during the 

 winter from frost. When the plants have had 

 ■two years' growth, they may be removed into 

 separate pots, to be continued two or more years, 

 when they may be planted out in the open 

 ground in warm situations. 



The second sort is mostly increased by layers, 

 which should be made from the young shoots, 

 and laid down in the early autumn. When they 

 are well rooted, in a year or two, they may be 

 taken ofl", and planted in pots separately filled 

 with bog earth, or in a warm border of the 

 same sort of earth. This is more hardy than 

 the former. 



The third sort is increased in the same wav 

 as the first, and requires similar management. 



The fourth is preserved with difficulty in this 

 cli-mate, but may be raised by layers. 



The most of the plants may likewise te in- 

 creased by suckers, which should be taken oft" 

 and planted in the spring, in nursery rows, for 

 two or three years, wl«:n they may be removed 

 to the places where they are to grow. 



These plants, in the more hardy sorts, afford 

 ornament and variety in the fronts of shrubbery 

 borders and clumps ; and in the more tender 

 sorts, among other potted oreen-housc plants. 



KIDNEY-BEAN. See^FHASEoi.us. 



KIDNEY-BEAN TREE. See Glycine. 



KIDNEY-VF:TCH. Sec Anthyllis. 



KIGGELAKIA, a genus conlaininff a plant 

 of the evergreen shrubbv kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Dioecia De- 

 •candria, and ranks in the natural order of Co- 

 lumn'ijhdB. 



The characters are: that in the male the calvx 



1 



