HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



BAB 



ance in this genus, is a graceful green-house 

 shrub from New Holland. It is easy of cultiva- 

 tion, and produces flowers freely during the 

 summer months, in terminal clusters, color 

 white or pinkish. The branches have a droop- 

 ing habit, giving the plant a graceful outline. 

 Propagated by cuttings. Introduced in 1842. 



Baby's Breath. See Mnscarl. 



Baccharis. Groundsel-Tree. From Bacchus, the 

 god of wine ; referring to the spicy odor of the 

 roots. The ancients sometimes boiled down 

 their wines, and mixed them with such spices. 

 Linn. Syngemsia-Superflua. Nat. Ord. Asteracea;. 

 This genus consists of upward of 200 spe- 

 cies, all South American except three, two of 

 which are found from Massachusetts southward, 

 and the third in California. They are tall- 

 growing shrubs, and distinguished from their 

 allies by having the male flowers on one plant 

 and the females on another. They are quite 

 ornamental shrubs, and some of the species 

 are strongly recommended for the green-house. 

 There is a singular and remarkable fact in rela- 

 tion to one of the species, B. Douylassi, which is 

 found in California and in Chili, without being 

 found in any intervening place. The medici- 

 nal properties of some of the South American 

 species are highly esteemed for fevers and 

 rheumatism. 



Balantium. A name proposed for a genus of 

 Ferns, now considered synonymous with Dick- 

 sonia. 



Bald Cypress. See Taxodium. 



Ballota. Fetid Horehound. From ballo, to re- 

 ject; in allusion to its offensive odor. Linn. 

 D'ulynamia-Monoriyma. Nat. Ord. Lamiacece. 



A small genus of mere weeds, occasionally 

 met with in the Eastern States, having found 

 their way from Europe, where they are natives. 



Balloon Vine. See Cardiospermum. 



Balm. See Melissa. 



Balm of Gilead. See Populus. 



Balmony. One of the popular names of Ghelone. 



Balsam Apple and Balsam Pear. See Mo- 

 mardica. 



Balsam Fir. See Abies. 



Balsamina. Balsam. Impatiens Bcdsamina. From 

 impaliens, referring to the elasticity of the valves 

 of the seed-pods, which discharge the seeds 

 when ripe or when touched. Linn. Pentandria- 

 Monogyida. Nat. Ord. Balsaminacece. 



The garden Balsam, of which numerous hand- 

 some varieties are grown, is B. luortensix. This 

 is one of the most beautiful of popular annuals, 

 forming a showy cone of finely-variegated, Car- 

 nation-like flowers. The prevailing colors of 

 the petals are red and white, the former extend- 

 ing to every shade of purple, crimson, scarlet, 

 rose, lilac, and carnation or flesh-color ; but 

 some of the most superb sorts are elegantly 

 spotted with white. The spotted varieties form 

 a class by themselves, and are justly regarded 

 as among the most brilliant ornaments of the 

 garden. There are the crimson, scarlet, rose, 

 purple, and violet -spotted. Another class is 

 striped, after the manner of Carnations, with 

 purple, crimson, rose, scarlet on pure white 

 grounds, some with one color, others with two 

 or more colors, and some are curiously mottled 

 and striped. The most improved varieties are 

 Very double, and styled Camellia-flowered by 

 the French. Some of the flowers are almost as 

 perfect and as double as those of the Camellia, 

 and nearly as regular in shape. The Germans 

 call them Hose-flowered, as many of them ap- | 



BAP 



proach the perfection of that flower in shape and 

 fullness. There is a class of Dwarf Balsams that 

 do not grow over a foot high, but very full and 

 bushy in habit. They do not produce flowers 

 so double as the Camellia or Rose-flowered 

 varieties, but are desirable for the garden. They 

 should not be planted with the tall varieties, 

 which attain the height of two or three feet, 

 when properly cultivated. The only way to 

 propagate the Balsam is from seed, which do 

 not always produce kinds exactly the same as 

 the parent, but approach very near, when great 

 care has been taken to keep the different varie- 

 ties by themselves, as is -now practiced by those 

 who make a business of raising the seed. Care- 

 ful growers of Balsams, who wish to raise prize 

 flowers, never use seed less than three years old ; 

 and they are particular in saving it from the 

 most double and handsomest flowers, the best 

 being those which have their colors distinctly 

 marked, like a Carnation. Introduced from the 

 East Indies in 1596. 



Balsam of Copaiva. See Copaifera. 



Balsam of Peru. See Myrospermum. 



Bamboo Cane. See Bambusa. 



Bambusa. Bamboo Cane. From bambos, its In- 

 dian name. Linn. Hexandria-Monogyma. Nat. 

 Ord. Graminaceai. 



A genus of gigantic reeds, common through- 

 out Southern China and Japan. B. anoidinacea is 

 the species of greatest importance. When grow- 



ing it has the appearance of an immense sheaf 

 of wheat standing on end. It grows in large 

 tufts or clumps, some of them upward of sixty 

 feet in height, and the quantity of canes which 

 they yield is simply enormous. The cane is 

 porous in the center and partly hollow. Exter- 

 nally the epidermis is composed of a hard wood, 

 into which silex enters so largely that it will 

 strike fire with a steel like a piece of flint. 

 Although this plant grows spontaneously and 

 most profusely in nearly all the immense south- 

 era districts of the Chinese Empire, yet the 

 Chinese give the cultivation of this reed great 

 care and attention. They have treatises and 

 whole volumes solely on this subject, laying 

 down rules derived from experience, and show- 

 ing the proper soils, the best kinds of water, 

 and the seasons for planting and transplanting 

 the useful production. The variety of purposes 

 to which the Bamboo is applied is almost end- 

 less. The Chinese use it, in one way or other, 

 for nearly everything they require. The sails 

 of their ships, as well as their masts and rig- 

 ging, consist chiefly of Bamboo, manufactured 

 in different ways. Almost every article of fur- 

 niture in their houses, including mats, screens, 

 chairs, tables, bedsteads, and bedding, are 

 made of the same material; and in some sec- 

 tions entire dwellings are constructed of Bam- 

 boo. Fine paper is made from the fiber of this 

 plant. In short, scarcely anything is to be 

 found in China, either upon land or water, into 

 the composition of which Bamboo does not 

 enter. The same extensive use is also made of 

 this reed in Japan, Java, Sumatra, Siam, and 

 other Eastern countries. 



Banana and Plantain. See Musa. 



Baneberry. See Aclcea. 



Baobab Tree. See Adansonia. 



Baptisia. From bapto, to dye; some of the spe- 

 cies possessing dyeing properties. Linn. Decan- 

 drin-Monoijynia. Nat. Ord. Fabacecr. 



This genus of native plants (commonly called 

 False Indigo) are rather pretty for the border. 



