Bearbind 



( 107 ) 



Bed 



lir.-t sharp frost in tin: uuutiim. Sonic varieties 

 produce scarlet, and others white, flowers, and the 

 pods are larger arid rougher than those of French 

 Beans. 



Propagation. Seeds may be sown under glass in 

 April, for transplanting late in May. to get an rarly 

 crop. Sow outdoors in .May, and again in June if 

 a succession is needed. 



Soil. The ground should be deeply trenched in 

 the winter or rarly spring, and a liberal dressing of 

 farmyard manure worked into the subsoil. A 

 deep rooting medium is of prime importance. 



Other Cultural Points. Runner Beans may be 

 sown in single or double rows, but overcrowding 

 must always be avoided. Distribute the seeds so 

 that tin 1 youim plants will lie at least 9" apart, and 

 cover with ;i" of soil. Dust young plants with 

 lime and soot to keep slugs at bay, and provide 

 stout sticks before they commence to run. Supply 

 water and liquid manure in dry weather, and 

 mulch heavily with half decayed manure. Pick as 

 soon as the pods are large enough, not allowing 

 seeds to ripen while the plants are producing a 

 crop for ordinary use. Though usually grown as 

 climbers, these Beans may be kept dwarf, and still 

 be productive, by pinching out the points of the 

 shoots on several occasions. Runner Beans are 

 useful for training over arches and fences; and, 

 apart from their culinary value, they are effective 

 summer climbing plants for making screens and 

 providing shelter. 



Varieties : 



Best of All. Mammoth White. 



Mammoth Scarlet. Ne plus Ultra. 



BEARBIND, OR BINDWEED. 



The Bearbind, Barcbind, or Bindweed is Con- 

 volvulus arveiiMs. or Calystegia sepium. The former 

 makes a pretty basket plant, but both are very 

 dangerous to introduce into a garden because of 

 their underground running habit, which makes them 

 difficult to eradicate. The only way to effect this 

 is by regularly destroying every shoot as it appears 

 above the soil, and by forking out the roots when- 

 ever an opportunity occurs. C. arvensis looks 

 charming on a trellis with its pretty leaves and its 

 pink or white flowers about 1" across, but its 

 spreading habit calls for its exclusion, unless con- 

 fined by stone or concrete. 



BEATONIA. 



A small family (urd. Iridese) of bulbous Irids, 

 needing the shelter of a greenhouse, except in the 

 most favoured parts of the country. Where 

 grown out of doors they are liable to severe 

 injury by damp and cold during winter. Propa- 

 gation by seeds or offsets. Botanists now unite 

 them with Tigridias. 



Principal Species : 



atrata, 1', Aug. , dark pur. purpurea, 8", Ap., My., 

 curvatii, 8", Ap., pur. pur. 



BEAUCARNEA. 



Graceful and singular greenhouse plants (ord. 

 Liliacesc), which thrive in loam and sand, and are 

 propagated by imported seeds. 



Principal Species : 

 glauca, grev. recurvata. 



latifolia, broad leaved. stricta. 



BEAUFORTIA. 



Australian shrubs (nnl. Myrtaccre) that are ever- 

 green, and need the protection of a greenhouse. 



Half-ripened shoots root easily if placed in sandy 

 soil under a bell-glass, but without the aid (if 

 artificial heat. Good drainage, and a compost of 

 loam, peat, and sand, are essential. 



Principal Species :- 

 decussata, ;i', My., so. 

 purpurea, 3', Jy., pur. 



Other Species : 

 carinata, 3', Je., so. 

 Dampieri, 3', My., pk. 



sparsa, 3', Je., red (syn. 

 spleudeus) 



macrostemou, 3', Jy., pur. 



BEAUMONTIA. 



Handsome plants (ord. Apocynacea:) suitable for 

 training to the roof of a stove or intermediate 

 house. An ample root run is necessary, and it 

 should be well drained and filled up with rich loam 

 and peat, roughly pulled to pieces, with some sand 

 or mortar rubble added. Propagation is effected 

 by cuttings of half ripened shoots. 



Principal Species : 



gramliflora, 20', Jy., wh. longifolia(s>graudiflora). 

 jerdoniana, '20', Jy., wh. 



BECKMANNIA. 



This is a small genus of Grasses (ord. Gramineze) 

 seldom cultivated. Easily raised from seed. 



Principal Species : 

 erucieformis, 2', Jy., grn. 



BED. 



A bed may be described as a portion of the 

 garden, of any size or shape, devoted to the display 

 of flowers, or raising seeds and cuttings. Beds 

 employed exclusively for the latter purposes are 

 termed nursery beds, and are generally some 4' in 

 width, with a narrow path running along either 

 side. When made of this width they are easily 

 tended for the weeding, sowing, and thinning of 

 the occupants. 



Flower Beds. Of beds employed for the display 

 of flowers the circular form is perhaps the most 

 generally useful, though the oval is highly popular. 

 Among ornamental forms the half-moon or crescent 

 shape, the star, the shamrock, and the fleur-de-lys, 

 are easily made, and look very effective when 

 planted with dwarf growing subjects. Flower beds 



A FLOWER BED THAT WAS ADMIKED IN HYDE PAUK. 



portion of border (1) Cineraria tomentosa ; sliaded 

 portion of Imnler (i) Iiesine Wnllsii ; circles (3) Rwlbcckia 

 Kiciniata florepleno; crosses (4) Fuchsia Madame CunielU.ii, 

 white and scarlet. 



should always lie well raised above the surround- 

 ing level, and kept highest in the centre, both of 



