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BIGNONIA ECHINATA.—A native of Mexico, where it is sometimes 
called Maraposa butterfly. The branches are said to be used in the 
adulteration of sarsapariila. B. Chica, a native of Venezuela, furnishes 
ared pigment, which is obtained by macerating the leaves in water, 
and is used by the natives for painting their bodies. . Aerere furnishes 
the natives of French Guiana with a substitute for ropes in its long 
flexible stems. JB. alliacea is termed the Garlic shrub, because of the 
powerful odor of garlic emitted from its bruised leaves and branches. 
These plants all have showy flowers, and the genus is represented with 
us by such beautiful flowers as are produced by B. radicans and B. 
capreolata. 
BrxA ORELLANA.—Arnotta plant.. The seeds of this plant are thinly 
coated with red waxy pulp, which is separated by stirring them in water 
until it is detached, when it is strained off and evaporated to the con- 
sistence of putty, when it is made up into rolls; in this condition it is 
known as flag or roll arnotta, but, when thoroughly dried, it is made into 
cakes and sold as cake arnotta. It is much used by the South American 
Caribs and other tribes of Indians for painting their bodies; paint being 
almost their only article of clothing. It is used in various countries for 
coloring cheese and butter. It is also used by silk-dyers and varnish- 
makers. 
BLIGHIA SAPIDA.—The Akee Fruit tree of Guinea. The fruit is about 
three inches long by two inches wide; the seeds are surrounded by a 
spongy substance, which iseaten. It has asub-acid, agreeable taste. A 
small quantity of semi-solid fatty oil is obtained from the seeds by pres- 
sure. 
BOHMERIA NIVEA.—A plant of the Nettle family, which yields the 
fiber known as Chinese grass. The beautiful fabric called grasscloth, 
which rivals the best French cambric in softness and fineness of texture, 
is manufactured from the fiber of this plant. It is a plant of the easiest 
culture, and has been introduced into the Southern States, where it 
grows freely; but the difficulty of separating the fiber in an expeditious - 
manner has not yet been overcome. When once machinery is perfected 
so as to enable its being cheaply Becuared for the manufacturer, a great 
demand will arise for this fiber. 
BOLDOA FRAGRANS.—A Chilian plant, einen yields small edible fruits; 
these, as well as all parts of the plant, are very aromatic. The bark is 
used for tanning, and the wood is highly esteemed for making charcoal. 
BORASSUS FLABELLIFORMIS.—The Palmyra palm. The parts of this 
tree are applied to such a multitude of purposes that a poem in the 
Tamil language, although enumerating 800 uses, does not exhaust the 
catalogue. In old trees the wood becomes hard and is very durable. 
The leaves are from 8 to 10 feet long, and are used for thatching houses, 
making various mattings, bags, &c. They also supply the Hindoo with 
paper, upon which he writes with a stylus. A most important product 
called toddy or palm wine is obtained from the flower spikes, which 
yield a great quantity of juice for four or five months. Palm-toddy is 
intoxicating, and, when distilled, yields strong arrack. _ Very good vin- 
egar is also. ‘obtained from it ; and large quantities of jaggery or palm 
sugar are manufactured from the toddy. The fruits are large and have 
a thick coating of fibrous pulp, which is cooked and eaten, or made into 
jelly. The young Palm plants are cultivated for the mar ket, as cab- 
bages are with us, and eaten, either when fresh or after being dried in 
the sun. 
BOsSWELLIA THURIFERA.—This Coromandel tree furnishes the resin 
known as olibanum, which is supposed to have been the frankincense of 
