Bixa 



( 125 ) 



Blakea 



Propagation is effected by seeds sown in the open, 

 in ordinary garden soil. Lutea, 6", April, yellow, 

 is tlie unly species introduced. 



BIXA. 



Economic .stove trees (ord. Bixineiu) with heart- 

 shaped, simple leaves and pink or purple flowers. 

 They are propagated by shoots of mature wood in 

 pots of sandy soil, plunged in a propagating case 

 or placed under a bell-glass in a warm house or pit. 

 Two-thirds good loam, one-third peat, and sand, 

 make a suitable compost. The orange red, pulpy 

 coviTing of the seeds is used for dyeing or colour- 

 ing milk and cheese, and in the preparation of 

 chocolate. 



Principal Species : 



orellana. :!<>', sum., pk. 



acuminata, 20', Jy., pur. (syn. purpurea. This 

 has a wh. sub-var., alba ) 

 urucurana, I'd', Jy., pk. 



BIZARRE. 



A Kivnch term implying fantastic. It is gener- 

 ally applied to Carnations with two contrasting 

 colours radiating from the centre on a white 

 ground ; and also to Tulips. 



BLACKBERRY. 



Description. The common Blackberry or 

 T.riinilile (Kulius fruticosus, ord. Rosaccse) grows 

 wild in all parts of England, and the delicious 

 fruit is highly appreciated in the autumn. Some 

 attention has lieen paid to the Blackberry as a 

 .garden fruit, since the introduction of several 

 laruv fruited varieties from America. Their 

 flavour, however, is not superior to the wild 

 British species. For the forming of game coverts, 

 and furnishing otherwise waste ground, Black- 

 berries are useful. 



Propagation. Seeds in the case of new varieties. 

 Al.-o from suckers taken from old stools, cuttings, 

 and layers. If the points of the shoots are pegged 

 into the soil, they root readily, and may then be 

 severed and planted. 



Soil. In a wild state the Blackberry flourishes 

 in most soils, but to get the best results under 

 cultivation, a deep, moist, and rather retentive 

 medium is the best. 



Other Cultural Points. The chief care with 

 Blackberries under cultivation is to avoid over- 

 crowding, by thinning out the old growths. They 

 may be planted against walls and fences in sunny 

 positions, and will give a return where other fruits 

 would fail. Cut away old shoots after fruiting, 

 remove weakly suckers, and lay in strong growths 

 thinly and evenly. 



Varieties : 



Early Harvest, medium size, early and prolific. 



Lawton, large fruit, prolific. 



Lucretia, a large American var. 



Paisley-leaved, free climber for fences and old 

 trees, large, fine flavoured fruit (see figure). 



Wilson Junior. One of the best. Glossy fruit, 

 early, and prolific. 



BLACK FLY Cw AI-FIIDIS). 



Dwarf, evergreen bushy shrubs allied to the* 

 Heaths (ord. Ericaceae), and thriving under similai 

 treatment. The leaves are Heath-like, and the 

 small flowers pink or purple. Propagation is 

 effected by cuttings of young shoots under a bell- 

 glass. Sandy fibrous peat will answer for compost, 

 under greenhouse treatment. 



Hitter Almond (xve 



III II II is II III II I'll). 



Sitter-aeeet ( 



Ullttir Vetch (sec Orob'is). 



nun [Aiygdalu\ coin- 

 Dulcamara). 



BLACKBERRY, PARSLEY-LEAVED. 



Principal Species : 



urtk-ulata, 1', My., gil., 



pk. 

 bracteata (si/n. Sympir/.u 



cupitellata). 

 liliiu-is (see Grisebachia 



ciliaris). 

 dumosa, 2', grh. 



ericoides, 2', Aug., Oct., 

 grh., pur. (syn. Erica 

 orbicularis). 



fasciculata (see Sympieza). 

 muscosa, 1', Je., Aug., 



grn. 

 purpurea, 2', My., Je., 



grh., pur. 

 BLAKEA. 



Evergreen stove plants (ord. Melastomacea?) of 

 an ornamental character. They are propagated by 

 cuttings of the young shoots after they get suffi- 

 ciently firm at the base, inserted in sand and 

 ruveivd with a bell-glass, or plunged in a pro>- 

 pagating case. Peat and fibrous loam in equal 

 proportions, with a good dash of sand, form a 

 suitable compost. They require a plentiful supply 



Illni'h liryony (sec Tamils comtinmis). 



lllncUitiriiia (see Zantliox-ylum). 



Ulack Maidenhair (see Aspleniuin Adiaiduni- 



nil/rum). 



lllni-l; Pine (see Piniis austriaca). 

 lilark Thorn (see Primus s/iinosa). 

 Vladderwort (see Urtieulu,rin). 



