THE J3SCHYNANTIIUS. 
131 
BASS FOR TYING PLANTS. 
The bass, or material of which the garden 
(Russian) mats are formed, is commonly used 
for all the lighter tying which is necessary in 
gardens. This bass is the inner layers of the 
bark of the lime-tree (Tilia europtsa). The 
bark of lime-trees grown in this country is 
nearly or quite equal to the Russian. To 
obtain it, the timber, after being cut, must be 
laid up for twelve months, in a dry place, and 
the bark may then be stripped off; the inner 
layers being suitable for fine tying ; the outer 
layers are coarser, and serve for strong rough 
tying. During 1846, attention was directed 
to another kind of bass, called Cuba Bass, 
from being commonly sent around packages 
of cigars which come from thence. This is 
now introduced for gardening purposes ; it is 
full of long narrow meshes, or openings, 
somewhat resembling lace, and is brought 
over in long ribbon -like strips ; it is rather 
stubborn in texture, but very strong, and 
splitting readily into narrow portions, thus 
being suitable either for strong or light ties. 
It is not known by what tree it is produced. 
Another material of this kind has been 
recently exhibited at a meeting of the Horti- 
cultural Society. This is found in Madagas- 
car, where it is used by the natives in making 
ropes, in which state it has sometimes reached 
England. It is said to be the produce of a 
" grass-tree," and has the appearance of being 
the long narrow foliage of some such plant ; 
but what plant it is which produces it is as 
yet unknown. This occurs in long strips, 
much narrower, apparently, than the Cuba 
Bass ; it is very soft and fine, and remarkably 
tough, it being difficult to break even a very 
thin piece of it ; it splits readily into fine 
strands, and will, therefore, be exceedingly 
well adapted for all fine tying, being light and 
fine, as well as strong ; and in thicker pieces, 
or two or three together, will make a very 
strong coarse tie. A supply of it is likely to 
be obtained for garden purposes. It is by far 
the best material of the kind that has yet 
been brought into notice. 
THE .ESCHYNANTHUS. 
One of the most ornamental families of 
tropical plants, is that which bears the scien- 
tific name JEschynantlms, a word derived 
from aischuno (to be ashamed,) and anthos 
(a flower,) and for which the Anglicised equi- 
valent of Blushwort has been proposed by Dr. 
Lindley. This latter term is not, however, 
generally adopted ; names of this latter cha- 
racter — that is, trivial names — not being very 
extensively employed, on account of their 
inconvenience and want of preciseness for 
scientific purposes, and the little real utility 
attending their use, as far as unscientific per- 
sons are concerned. The name .iEschynanthus 
has also been proposed to be adapted to our 
language by a modification of the last syllable ; 
thus we have JEscliynanth, which in the plural 
form becomes .ZEschynanths. 
The iEschynanths belong to a group of 
plants, to which the term Cyrtandracese has 
been applied. This group is by some regarded 
cs a distinct order in the so-called Natural 
System of Botany, while by others it is con- 
sidered as a subordinate group of the natural 
order Gesneraceae. The difference in these 
views is more apparent than real, and results 
principally from those holding the latter opi- 
nion taking a more comprehensive view than 
the others, of what constitutes the limits of a 
natural order. Illustrating this by a familiar 
example, we may say that the actual geogra- 
phical position of London would be undis- 
turbed, whether it were regarded as a distinct 
county, or part of the county of Middlesex ; 
and in like manner, the botanical position of 
JEschynanthus is unaffected whether Cyrtan- 
draceas, the group of plants in which it is in- 
cluded, is regarded as a separate order, or a 
section of the larger order Gesneraceae. 
All the iEschynanths are epiphytal plants, 
that is, they are found growing in the same 
way as the orchids, upon the trees of tropical 
forests. These all differ from parasites, such 
as the mistletoe, which draws nourishment 
from the tree on which it grows ; epiphytes, 
on the contrary, derive nothing but a location 
from the trees to which they are found 
attached, and derive their nourishment from 
the moisture and gaseous elements of the air 
which surrounds them, and from the decaying 
vegetable matter which may have lodged upon 
the branches where they are fixed. From this 
similarity in habit and general character, the 
-ZEschynanths and orchids associate well to- 
gether in artificial cultivation. 
The plants under consideration may be 
grown, either attached to blocks of wood, or 
planted in open baskets, such as are used for 
orchids, or potted with very loose open mate- 
rial about their roots. In the former case, the 
blocks should be charred before the plants are 
fixed to them, and the roots should be neatly 
enveloped with sphagnum moss, placed be- 
neath and above them, and fastened on to the 
block by means of fine zinc or copper wire 
fastened to copper tacks ; a small tack is also 
to be securely driven into each end of the 
block, to which a piece of wire is attached, as a 
handle for the purpose of suspending it from 
the roof of the house. In this case, the moss 
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