BULBOCODIUM. 



33 



BUTTERFLIES. 



stant tendency in some species to sink 

 deeply into the ground, and in others 

 to rise to the surface, which must be 

 carefully counteracted by the cultiva- 

 tor, by taking up and replanting ; thus, 

 the bulbous Iris,when left three or four 

 years in the ground, produces weak 

 leaves, and ceases to flower freely, from 

 the sinking of the bulbs; the Cro- 

 cus, on the other hand, produces 

 weak flowers and leaves from the 

 bulbs rising above the surface ; and 

 the Tulip, if left in the ground for a 

 few years, in consequence of the bulb 

 being always produced at one side, is 

 never found to come up twice exactly 

 in the same spot. Experience proves, 

 that certain bulbs which are in a state 

 far removed from wild nature, require 

 the greatest care to preserve them 

 from disease, such as the cultivated 

 Hyacinth. These, therefore, must 

 be taken up every year, and carefully 

 preserved ; while others, comparatively 

 incapable of much cultivation, such as 

 the Snowdrop, may be left in the 

 ground a number of years without in- 

 jury. Bulbs, like all other plants, 

 may be propagated by seeds; and from 

 these, in the case of the Crocus and 

 Hyacinth, the Crown Imperial, and 

 Iris Xiphium, and Iris Xiphiodes, 

 an endless number of beautiful va- 

 rieties may be produced. This fur- 

 nishes a fine source of interesting 

 amusement to the amateur. The 

 seeds should be sown in beds of light 

 earth, where the plants may remain 

 till they come into flower, which will 

 generally be in from three tofiveyears. 

 The soil for almost all bulbs should be 

 a free sandy loam, and the situation 

 open, and fully exposed to the sun. 



Bulbocodium. — MelanihacecB. — 

 Bulbous plants, natives of Spain and 

 the Crimea ; flowering in March and 

 August, and of easy culture in loamy 

 soil. B. vernum, which does not 

 grow above four inches in height, is a 

 desirable plant for growing in a pot. 



Bulbocodium. — The Hoop-petti- 

 coat Narcissus ; a pretty little species? 

 not above six inches high. 



Bupleu^rum. — Umbelliferce. — 

 Hare's-ear. Herbaceous plants, with 

 greenish yellow flowers, and very 

 glaucous or blueish leaves. They are 

 natives of Europe, and will grow in 

 any common garden-soil. Several 

 shrubs are included by some botanists 

 in this genus ; but they were separated 

 by Sprengel, and formed into the 

 genus Tenoria. These are rather 

 tender, being natives of the shores of 

 the Mediterranean and the Cape of 

 Good Hope; but near London they will 

 bear ordinary winters in the open air. 

 They should be grown in sandy loam. 

 Bur-Marigold. — See Bidens. 

 Burto s nia. — LeguminoscB. — 

 New Holland shrubs, of which B. 

 conferta is the most desirable species. 

 It grows to the height of two feet, and 

 produces its violet-coloured flower3 

 from July to September. For its 

 culture, see Australian Shrubs. 



Butcher's Broom See Ruscus. 



Butter and Eggs A kind of 



Narcissus. 



Bu tomus. — Butomeae. — The 

 flowering rush. One of the hand- 

 somest of aquatic plants, deserving a 

 place in eveiy aquarium. It grows 

 to the height of two feet, and pro- 

 duces its elegant head of pink flowers 

 in June and July. 



Butterflies. — These beautiful in- 

 sects are never injurious to gardens 

 exeept in their caterpillar state. As 

 butterflies, they only sip a little honey 

 from the flowers ; their sole business 

 being to propagate their species, and 

 then they die. Thus, the butterflies that 

 are almost always on the wing, and 

 which are the males, may be suffered 

 to flutter out their brief existence un- 

 molested ; but when a butterfly is 

 found sitting on a branch with its 

 wings folded, in bright sunshine, it 

 should be destroyed, as the butterflies 



