296 



HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



BOR 



Bordered. When the margin is character- 

 ized by a distinction in color, texture, or 

 other consideration, from the rest of any 

 part. 



Bossed. Circular and flat, with a promi- 

 nent center, like a target, as in the fruit 

 of Paliurus australis. 

 Botnjlacece.A.n order of Fungi, usually 



known as mildew and blight. 

 Botrys.The term applied in Greek com- 

 pounds to the raceme. A bunch. 

 Bot uliform. Sausage-shaped. 

 Bouquet. This is the name given to vari- 

 ous forms of artificially-constructed cut 

 flowers. They are made with great skill 

 and taste in the City of New York, in va- 

 rious forms, but usually in the round 

 parasol or Mushroom-like form, ranging 

 in size from six to twelve inches in diam- 

 eter. Many decry this artificial arrange- 

 ment of flowers, but it cannot well be 

 otherwise ; for the moment we cut them 

 from the plant and begin to tie them to- 

 gether, we leave nature, so that any at- 

 tempt to make a bouquet, or, in fact, any 

 arrangement of cut flowers, in a natural 

 manner, is utter nonsense. The most 

 cultivated tastes have long decreed that 

 the best style of bouquet is the formal, 

 where different colors are used in consec- 

 utive rings, or alternating with each 

 other, in geometrical forms, rather than 

 a mixed, unsystematic blending of color. 

 In detailing the modus operandi of bou- 

 quet making it is necessary to give the 

 following details. So many flowers have 

 short stems, or grow so close to buds 

 which the grower cannot afford to cut, 

 that artificial stems must be used. Even 

 where stems are available, the bouquet 

 maker prefers having another added to 

 hold the flower in position, the strength 

 of the stem being proportioned to the 



BOU 



weight of the flower it bears. Thick 

 stems must be avoided, else the bouquet 

 handle becomes clumsy. The stems com- 

 monly used are of broom-corn,or very small 

 sticks like tooth-picks, cut in lengths as 

 desired, from four to eight inches. With 

 this and hair wire cut to three inches, the 

 " stemmer " goes to work. By a rapid 

 twist one end of the wire is fastened on 

 the straw, and the flower is attached by a 

 whirl of the stem between finger and 

 thumb. Stemming is a large part of the 

 labor of bouquet making, and occupies 

 the greater part of the time needed in the 

 operation, one bouquet maker requir- 

 ing two stemmers. The flowers thus 

 stemmed, a Rose or other prominent 

 flower is taken for the center of the bou- 

 quet, which is tied securely to the bou- 

 quet stem, (a thin stiff twig,) and is then 

 wound with Moss, to keep the flower 

 from outer pressure, the Moss running 

 to a point about two inches below the 

 flower. Six smaller Rose-buds or Carna- 

 tions are now set at regular intervals 

 around and on a line with the outer pet- 

 als of the large center Rose, and the 

 spaces between these each filled with a 

 small piece of White Alyssum, a very small 

 Geranium leaf or point of delicate green 

 being set by each bud. A little Moss is 

 now wound lightly, close under the flow- 

 ers, to prevent crowding, a pink Carna- 

 tion set behind each Rose-bud, with Lily 

 of the Valley or Hyacinths between, apiece 

 of Eupatorium being inserted under the 

 edge of each to fill out. Six Roses, alter- 

 nately pink and white, of equal size and 

 form, stemmed as described, are now set 

 at regular intervals around, particular 

 care being taken to form with the face of 

 these flowers the correct outline of the 

 bouquet, and their stems tightly bound 



