BAS 



[117] 



BAS 



at each corner. Fasten them firmly to- 

 gether with nails, and the main founda- 

 tion and walls of your baskets are com- 

 plete. On the top of the side put some 

 split hazel rods of sufficient thickness to 

 cover it, and hang over the outside edge 

 about half an inch. Place some of the 

 same kind close to the bottom ; then, be- 

 tween the two, cover the plain boards 

 with some rough oak or elm bark, so 

 closely fitted as to give the idea that the 

 basket has been cut out of a solid tree ; 

 or, which is more expensive and trouble- 

 some, but certainly more ornamental, 

 cover the sides with (split or whole, as 

 you may fancy) hazel rods, formed into 

 tasteful forms. These should fit so close 

 as to hide completely the material of 

 which the sides are formed. The bark 

 plan will not require anything more 

 doing to it after it is neatly fitted and 

 securely nailed to the sides, but the 

 hazel rods should have a coating of 

 boiled linseed oil applied. 



BASS, or BAST MATS. These are chiefly 

 made in Russia, from the inner bark of 

 trees (bast in the Russ language). Their 

 best use is as a packing envelope, for as 

 a protection to wall trees they are inferior 

 to netting, and to standard shrubs struc- 

 tures made of straw (see Shelters}^ are to 

 be preferred. They are very serviceable, 

 however, to place over beds of early 

 spring radishes, &c., to prevent the night 

 radiation. This is quite as effectual, 

 much cleaner, and less troublesome than 

 a covering of straw. Shreds of these 

 mats are also useful for many gardening 

 purposes where a ligature or string is 

 required. One of the principal of these 

 is for binding a bud or scion in its place 

 on the stock after grafting. For this 

 we prefer the new Cuba bast, but the finest 

 of the ordinary Russian mats will answer 

 equally well, perhaps better, provided 

 the material is very fine and very tough. 

 In selecting a mat for this purpose, the 

 best may be distinguished by two or 

 three qualities : First, whatever colour 

 the bast be, it must feel silky and some- 

 what oily to the touch. A full reliance 

 must not be placed on this alone, how- 

 ever, but the strength should be tested 

 by cutting off a fine-looking strand, and 

 stripping off a narrow piece as fine as 

 twine. This, if good, should withstand 



a considerable amount of tension ; it is 

 well, however, to try a second piece. As 

 to colour, such is generally a pale straw. 

 BA'SSIA. (Named after M. Bassi, cu- 

 rator of the botanic garden at Boulogne. 

 Nat. ord., Sapotads [Sapotaceae]. Linn., 

 \\-Dodecandria, \-monogynia). The Bas- 

 sias are trees of some importance in In- 

 dia. B. butyracea yields a thick oil-like 

 butter from its fruit or mahva. JS. lati- 

 folia furnishes a kind of arrack, called 

 moura, by distilling the leaves. The 

 fruit of the Illupie-tree, B. longifolia, 

 yields oil for lamps, soap-making, and 

 also for food ; andMungo Park's butter- 

 tree was a species of Bassia. Stove trees. 

 Cuttings of ripened young shoots in 

 April, in heat, under a bell-glass ; peat 

 and loam. Summer temp., 60 to 70 ; 

 winter, 55 to 60. 



B. butyra'cect (buttery). 40. Nepaid. 1823. 



latifo'lia (broad-leaved) . 40. Yellow. East 



Indies. 



longifo'lia (long-leaved). 40. E. Indies. 1811. 



BASTARD ACACIA. Eobinia Pseu'do- 



BASTARD ATOCION. Sile'ne Pseu'do- 

 A.to ' cion. 



BASTARD BALM. Mett'tta. 



BASTARD Box. Poly gala. 



BASTARD CABBAGE TREE. 



BASTARD CEDAR. Guazuma, and Ce- 

 dre'la. 



BASTARD CHERRY. Ce'rasus Pseu'do- 

 ce'rasus. 



BASTARD CINNAMON. Cinnamomum 

 cassia. 



BASTARD CORK THEE. Que'rcus 

 Pseu'do-su'ber. 



BASTARD CRACCA. Vicia Pseudo- 

 era' cca. 



BASTARD DICTAMNTJS. Beringe'ria 

 Pseu do- Dicta mnus. 



BASTARD GROUND - PINE. Teucrium 

 Pseu do-chamce pitys. 



BASTARD HARE'S EAR. Phyllis. 



BASTARD HYSSOP. Teucrium Pseu'do- 



BASTARD INDIGO. Amo'rpha. 



BASTARD JASMINE. A.ndro'sace cha- 

 m<z-ja'sme. 



BASTARD LUPINE. Trifo'lium lupind- 

 ster. 



BASTARD MANCHINEEL. Camera'ria. 



BASTARD MOUSE - EAR. Hiera'cium 

 Pseu' do-pilose' lla. 



