HENDERSON'S HANDBOOK OF PLANTS. 



297 



BOX 



to prevent working out of place. Be- 

 tween each Rose-bud, on the inner side, 

 another white flower is set, filled out with 

 a piece of pink under each side; more 

 Moss is added, and a bright piece of 

 crimson Bouvardia forms the sole dividing 

 line between the centers of the Rose-buds, 

 which nearly touch each other. A Saf- 

 frano Rose-bud follows, with Violets set 

 in Sweet Alyssum on one side and a small 

 Geranium leaf in the same on the other; 

 a white Carnation is set behind each bud, 

 with a piece of Bouvardia in Eupatorium 

 on each side. A light border of Stevia is 

 now set around the whole, and,with Smilax 

 or Camellia leaves stemmed, and projected 

 nearly half their length, the bouquet is 

 finished. The back is trimmed with bou- 

 quet green, or fine leaves of any ever- 

 green. The handle is cut to about four 

 inches, and is wrapped with tinfoil, and 

 tied above with a ribbon of white satin. 

 This is only one of a dozen ways of con- 

 structing bouquets, and is by no means 

 given as the best. Fashion is constantly 

 changing the kinds of flowers used; for 

 example, twenty years ago no bouquet was 

 supposed to be complete without the use 

 of the Camellia Japonica flowers, but to- 

 day fashion entirely ignores these sym- 

 metrical and beautiful flowers, and they 

 are rarely used, unless for large table 

 bouquets, or other designs in cut flowers. 

 Boxes for Seeds. Seeds, particularly flower 

 seeds, when sown under glass, do much 

 better when sown in shallow boxes than 

 in flower-pots. A convenient size is the 

 ordinary soap-box, cut into four, making 

 a depth of from one and a half to two 

 inches. These are filled nearly full with 

 finely-sifted soil, which is made as level 

 and smooth as possible. On this smooth 

 surface the seeds are sown, and then 



BEA 



pressed down level into the soil, and over 

 the seeds is sifted dry moss, leaf mould, 

 or cocoanut fiber, (which has been run 

 through a sieve as fine as mosquito wire,) 

 in quantity enough to fairly cover the 

 seeds. This, from its spongy nature, re- 

 tains moisture, while its lightness offers 

 but little resistance to the tender seed 

 germ. The same style of box is used for 

 " pricking off," which see. 



I Brachialis. An ell long; twenty-four inches 

 long. 



\ Brachiate. Having arms or branches usu- 

 ally placed opposite each other, nearly 

 at right angles with the main stem, and 

 crossing each other alternately. 

 Brachium. An ell or two feet. 



! Brachypodom. Having a short foot or 

 stalk. 



| Brachys. In words of Greek origin signi- 

 fies short. 



I Bracken or Brake. A common English 

 name of Pteris aquilina. 



i BracteoB or Bracts. The leaves placed im- 

 mediately below a calyx, if they are at all 

 altered from their usual form. 

 Bracteolce, Bracteoles, or Bractlets. Bracts 

 of a second order, usually smaller and 

 more changed than the true bracts; also 

 any small bracts. 

 Bracteate. Furnished with bracteae or 



bracts. 



Bracteolce. Little bracts. 

 Branch. The developed state of a leaf 

 bud, when similar to the main stem or 

 trunk. Though branches are usually 

 considered to be subdivisions of the 

 trunk itself, they more closely resemble 

 an aggregation of separate individuals 

 grafted upon it. 

 Branchlets. Small branches. 

 Brassicacece. The Cabbage family, a natu- 

 ral order of Thalamifloral (which see) 



