OT. 
Sept. 6. BIX A, 
PL. IIL. 
Fig. 6. 
This Shrub ftands recommended to the Cu- 
rious, both by j its Singularity and Beauty. 
It is commonly called by a Name given more 
h 
* 
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4 
e. _ properly to its Fruit, Roucou. Authors in general 
name it Urucu and Orleana; or, as fome write it, » 
Bavuine calls. it, Arbor Mexiocana 
Orellana. 
Bea ) cafianee fruttu coccifera. Linnaus, Bixa. This 
5 Name was given it firft by ©vizpus; and there 
need no Terms of Diftin¢étion to be annexed to 
fe | it, as we know no other Species. _ 
f-- | ‘The Shape and Size of the Fruit i is often dif- 
ferent, but that feems only accidental Variation; 
the Tree continuing the fame. 
With our beft Care it will rife but to a mode- 
rate Shrub; but where it is native it grows much 
larger. The Stem_is covered with a pale brown 
Bark ; the upper Shoots are yellowifh ; and on the 
young Twigs there is often a light and elegant 
- Tinge of Purple. 
_ The Leaves are placed irregularly, and are in 
| nothing confpicuous, except in their elegant and 
glofly green. 
are large and yellow, or purplith. 
s gant. red, often diverfified with Stains of white: 
- fupported by long Filaments, in the Centre. 
The Fruit is large, and of an oval Shape. It 
1s befet with. Prickles, and it is full of Scarlet 
Cup, which is divided lightly i into five Segments, 
and which before covered the Bafe of the Flower. 
The Student, when he has obferved the nume- 
rous Filaments in the Centre of this Flower, will 
N Seeds. It is furrounded at the Bottom by a {mall 
two Genera, Icosanpria and PoLyANDRIA, 
both charaéterifed by numerous Filaments, he is 
to trace them to their Origin, and obferve whe- 
ther they rife from the Infide of the Cup, or from 
rife from the Receptacle clear of the Cup: by this 
Difpofition and their Number, he finds the Plant 
ss one of the Potyanpria, the Thirteenth Clafs 
‘of Linnus: and when he fees the Style rifing © 
to the firft Sedtion; comprehending the Monocy- 
wra, or fuch of the polyandrous Plants as have the 
female Part fingles. 
called ROUCOU and ORELLANA 
They are broad at the Sai nar- | 
rower to the Point, and wav'd along the Edges. — 
= hey have moderate Foot- -ftalks, and their. Ribs } 
gh OS lowers are large, and of a. pale but e3 2 
| thirds filled. Let the Seeds be fcattered upon 
they grow, _ principally at the Extremes of the — 
Branches, and have a Tuft of purple Buttons, © 
recolleét, that in order to diftinguifh between the” 
the Receptacle: he will in this F lower find they 
fingly among them, he will know it alfo belongs — 
GARDENING. 
Thus he will underftand to what Clafs. to refet : 
the Plant ; but there is fomething farther fingular 
in the Flower: he will perceive that it Seferables 
the five-petal’d Kinds; but ufually he will find 
thefe Petals double. The Bix may be {aid to have 
a double Flower : there are naturally five outet and 
five inner Petals : ‘the outer ones are hard and 
thick, the inner thin and tender. In this, how- - 
ever, Nature wantons frequently : though com- 
monly feparate, thefe Petals fometimes grow to- 
gether, or are but imperfectly parted ; in which 
Cafe it refembles the common five-leav’d Flowers. 
It is a Native of the hotter Parts of America, | 
and j is one of thofe Plants that with us require the 
Heat. of: the Stove: 
Th: Culture of the B x a 
The Seeds are ealily onside and | it ‘may be 
rais’d from them without Difficulty. The firft 
Care fhould be to have them frefh; for after two 
or three Years they will rarely fhoot... When 
good, found, and frefh. Seed is got, let a Mix- 
ture of two Parts Garden-Mould, one Part Sand, 
and one Part rotted Wood, be prepared : and 
with this let a Couple of common Pots be two 
the Surface, and covered an Inch deep, and let 
the Pot be fet ina Tan-Bed. 
The Plants will appear’ after fome ee var’ 
they muft be refrethed with gentle. Waterings, 
and allow’d a little Air. ... 
When they have four or five Leaves a-piece, 
they muft be tranfplanted each into a feparate 
Pot of the fame artificial Soil, and gently watered. 
Thefe Pots fhould be placed: in another Tan-Bed, 
with a deeper Frame; and as the Weather grows 
- warmer, and the Plants ftronger, they fhould have 
more Air. 
The Waterings are to be repeated at Times, 
and the Ait adinitted carefully, till they have a 
sood deal more Strength and Bignefs: they are 
ee to be removed into the Stove; and to take 
their Chance with the other Plants. They will 
not flower before the third Year: but they will 
be no unpleafing Stght ; in the mean Time their 
‘Leaves and Shoots being of an elegant and plea- 
fing Colour. Lefs Heat may keep the Bixa 
alive ;° but it will thus flower. CoMMELIN is one > 
of the many who raifed it, but, for want of due 
Care, never faw its F lowers. 
CHAP. 
