BAD 



[ 108] 



BAL 



used in England under the name of Pe- 

 nang layer. All stove palms. Seeds ; 

 sandy loam. Summer temp., 65 to 85; 

 winter, 60. 



B.caryotcefo'lia (Caryota-leaved). 10. Brazil. 

 1825. 



cuspida'ta (tapering-Zeare<?) . 20. Brazil. 



1826. 



guutnefnsis (Guiana). 16. Guiana. 1820. 



macraca'ntha (long-spined). 20. Brazil. 



1823. 



ma'jor (greater). 25. Carthag. 1800. 



mi'nor (less). 12. South America. 1691. 



pectina'ta (comb-leavedl* 15. Brazil. 



1825. 



BADGER'S BANE. Acbni'tum meloc- 

 tonum. 



BJE'CKIA. (Named after Dr. Back, a 

 Swedish physician. Nat. ord., Myrtle- 

 blooms [Myrtaceae]. Linn., 8-Octandria 

 1 -Monogynia}. Greenhouse evergreen 

 shruhs. All white-flowered. Cuttings 

 in spring, under a glass; sandy peat and 

 lumpy fibry loam. Winter temp., 40 

 to 45. 



B. camphora'ta (camphor-scented). 3. July. 

 New Holland. 1818. 



densiflo'ra (thickly-flowered). 3. Septem- 



ber. New South Wales. 



diosmcefo'lia (diosma-leaved) . 3. August. 



New Holland. 1824. 



frute'scens (shrubby). 3. November. China. 

 1806. 



gra'dlis (slender). 2. New Holland. 1826. 



linifo'lia (flax-leaved). 3. August. New 



Holland. 1818. 



ramosi' sslma (branchiest). 3. New Hol- 



land. 1824. 



saxi' cola (rock-dwelling). 2. July. New 



Holland. 1824. 



virga'ta (twiggy). 3. September. New 



Caledonia. 1806. 



B^E'RIA. (Named after Professor J?r, 

 of the University of Dorpat. Nat. ord., 

 " es [Asteraceae]. Linn., 19-Syn- 

 1-Superflua. Allied to Calli- 

 rhoe). Hardy annual. Seeds, in March 

 and April ; common soil. 

 B. chryso' stoma (golden-mouthed). 1. Yellow. 

 May. California. 1835. 



BAKED is a term descriptive of the 

 hard impervious state of clayey soils, 

 long exposed to drought. It can he pre- 

 vented only hy altering the staple of the 

 soil, by the admixture of sand, chalk, 

 coal-ashes, and other matters less cohe- 

 sive than clay. 



BALCONY. A word probably derived 

 from the Persian, signifying an orna- 

 mentally barred window, and by us ap- 

 plied to a frame, usually of iron, and 



encompassed with a balustrade, placed 

 in front of one window or of several 

 windows. It is an excellent place for 

 giving air to room-plants, and for the 

 cultivation of some flowers. 



BALA'NTIUM. (From balantion, a purse ; 

 referring to the shape of the seed-pouch, 

 or indusium, on the back of the leaf. 

 Nat. ord., Ferns [Polypodiaceae]. Linn., 

 l^-Cryptogamia \-Filices). Stove herba- 

 ceous ferns. Divisions ; peat and loam. 

 Summer temp., 60 to 70 ; winter, 50 

 to 60. 



B. cuUcitum (cushion). 3. Brown. August. 

 Madeira. 



BALBISIA. See Ledocarpum peduncu- 

 laris. 



BALM (Melissa officinalis.} This hardy 

 herbaceous plant has a citron scent and 

 aromatic flavour. It is cultivated now 

 only for making a grateful drink for the 

 sick. 



The Soil best suited to its growth, is 

 any poor and friable, but rather inclining 

 to clayey than sandy. Manure is never 

 required. An eastern aspect is best for 

 it. 



Planting. It is propagated by root- 

 division (of which the smallest piece will 

 grow), and by slips of the young shoots. 

 The first mode any time during the 

 spring and autumn, but by slips only 

 during May or June. If divisions of an 

 old plant are employed, they may bo 

 planted at once where they are to re- 

 main, at twelve inches apart ; but if by 

 slips, they must be inserted in a shady 

 border, to be thence removed, in Septem- 

 ber or October, to where they are to 

 remain. At every removal water must 

 be given, if dry weather, and until they 

 are established. During the summer 

 they require only to be kept clear of 

 weeds. In October the old beds (which 

 may stand for many years) require to be 

 dressed, their decayed leaves and stalks 

 cleared away, and the soil loosened by 

 the hoe or slight digging. 



Old beds may be gathered from in 

 July, for drying, but their green leaves, 

 from March to September, and those 

 planted in spring, will even afford a 

 gathering in the autumn of the same 

 year. For drying, the stalks are cut 

 with their full clothing of leaves to tho 



