B L I 
ic their great reflexions, produce a vigorous heift •, 
« and the fame, when rcfolved, cxceffive cold.” 
Whence (as Dr. Hales obferves) we fee, that blafts 
may be occafioned by the reflexions of the clouds, as 
well as by the above-mentioned refraction of denfe 
tranfparent vapours. 
Againft this enemy to fruits, &c. as hath been faid, 
there is no guard to our fruit-trees, nor any remedy 
to cure it : but as this more frequently happens in 
clofe plantations (where the ftagnating vapours from 
the earth, and the plentiful perforations from the 
trees, are pent in for want of a free air to diflipate 
and difpel them ; which are often obferved, in ftill 
weather, to afcend in fo plentiful a manner, as to.be 
feen by the naked eye, but efpecially with, reflecting 
telefcopes, fo as to make a clear and diftinft object 
become dim and tremulous,) than in thofe that are 
planted at a greater diftance, or are not furrounded 
with hills or woods •, this diredts us, in the firft plant- 
ing of kitchen-gardens arldorchards, &c. that we fhou-ld 
allow a greater diftance between the trees, and to 
make choice of clear healthy filiations, that the air 
may freely pafs between the trees to diflipate thofe va- 
pours before they are formed into fuch volumes, 
whereby the circumambient air will be clear, and lefs 
fubjedt to injuries ; as alfo the fruits which are pro- 
duced in this clearer air, will be much better tailed 
than thofe that are furrounded with a thick rancid air ; 
for as fruits are often in a refpiring ftate, they confe- 
quently, by imbibing a part of thefe vapours, are ren- 
dered crude and ill-tafled, which is often the cafe 
with a great part of our fruits in England. 
BLITUM. Lin. Gen. Plant. 14. Chenopodio-morus, 
Boerh. Ind. Morocarpus. Rupp. Strawberry Slice. 
The Characters are, 
It hath a tripartite fpreading empalement , which is per- 
manent •, the flower hath no petals , but one briftly fta- 
mina the length of the empalement , with a double fim- 
mit. In the center is fituated an oval pointed germen fup- 
porting two ftyles , the length of the ftamina , with a Jingle 
fligma. 'The empalement afterward becomes an oval com- 
prefled capfule , including one globular compreffed feed , the 
fize of the capfule. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the fecond order of 
Linnaeus’s firfl clafs, intitled Monandria Digynia, 
the flower having but one ftamina and two ftyles. 
The Species are, 
1. Blxtum ( Capitatum ) capitellis fpicatis terminalibus. 
Hort. Upfal. 3. Blite with fpikes terminated by little 
heads. Chenopodio-morus major. Boerh. Ind. alt. 
2. 91. Commonly called Strawberry Blite , or Strawberry 
Spinach. 
2. Blitum ( Virgatum ) capitellis fparfis lateralibus. Hort. 
Upfal. 3. Blite with fnall heads growing flatteringly 
from the fides of the ftalks. Chenopodio-morus minor. 
Boerh. Ind. alt.- 2. 91. Wild Atriplex with a Mulberry 
fruit. 
3. Blitum ( Tartaricum ) foliis triangularibus acute den- 
tatis, capitellis fimplicibus lateralibus. Blite with tri- 
angular leaves fharply indented, and fmgle heads proceed- 
ing from the fides of the ftalks. Blitum fragiferum maxi- 
mum polyfpermum. Amman. Ruth. 
The firft fort grows naturally in Spain and Portugal, 
but hath been long preferved in the Englifh gardens. 
This is an annual plant, which hath leaves fomewhat 
like thofe of Spinach; the ftalk rifes about two feet and 
a half high, the lower part of which is garnifhed with 
leaves of the fliape with thofe at bottom, but fmaller ; 
the upper part of the ftalk hath flowers coming out 
in fmall heads at every joint, and is terminated by 
a fmall duller of the fame : after the flowers are paft, 
the little heads fwell to the fize of Wood Strawber- 
ries, and when ripe have the fame appearance ; being 
very fucculent, and full of a purple juice, which 
ftains the hands of thofe who bruife them, of a deep 
purple colour. 
The fecond fort grows naturally in the fouth of France 
and Italy. This leldom grows more than one foot 
high, with fmaller leaves than the firft, but of the 
lame fliape ; the flowers are produced at the wings 
of the leaves, aimoft the length of the ftalk, which 
are fmall, and collected in little heads, which are 
fhaped like thofe of the firft, but fmaller and not fo 
deeply coloured. 
The feeds of the third fort were font me by the late 
Dr. Amman, who was profeffor of botany at Peterf- 
burgh. This rifes near three feet high ; the leaves 
are triangular, ending in very acute points, as do alfo 
the indentures on the edges of the leaves; The flow- 
ers come out from the wings of the leaves in fmall 
heads, which are fucceeded by berries of the fame 
fhape and colour as thofe of the firft, but fmaller. 
This fort differs from the firft in the fliape and inden- 
tures of the leaves, and in having leaves placed be- 
tween the berries the whole length of the ftalk, which 
is not terminated by heads as the firft, but hath leaves 
above the heads. 
Thefe are all of them annual plants, which will drop 
their feeds if permitted, and the plants will come up. 
in plenty the following fpring : or if the feeds of 
either of the forts are fown in March or April, upon 
a bed of common earth, in an open fituatioiu the 
plants will come up in a month or five weeks after ; 
and, if they are to remain in the place where they are 
fown, will require no other care but to keep them 
clear from weeds, and to thin them out, fo as to leave 
them fix or eight inches apart ; and in July the 
plants will begin to fhew their berries, when they will 
make a pretty appearance. But many people trarif- 
plant them into the borders of the flower-gar- 
dens, and others plant them in pots, to have them 
ready for removing to court-yards, or to place upon 
low wails, among other annual flowers, to adorn thofe 
places. 
When thefe plants are defigned to be removed, they 
fhould be tranfplanted before they fhoot up their fiow- 
er-ftems, for they will not bear tranfplanting well af- 
terward : and if they are planted in pots, they will 
require to be duly watered in dry weather, otherwife 
the plants will flint, and not grow to any fize ; and, 
as the flower-ftems advance, they fhould be fupported 
by flicks ; for if they are not, the branches will fall 
to the ground, when the berries are grown pretty 
large and weighty. 
BLOODWORT. See Lapathum. 
BOCCONIA. 
This plant was fo called after the Reverend Paul BoC- 
cone, of Sicily, who has publifhed fome curious books 
of botany. 
The Characters are. 
The flower hath an empalement compofed of two oval , ob- 
tufl , concave leaves it hath four narrow petals , with 
a great number of very fhort ftamina , crowned by ere A 
fummits , which are the length oft the empalement. In 
the center is fituated a roundijh germen , contracted at both 
ends , fupporting a fingle ftyle , which is bifid at the top , 
crowned by a fingle fligma. The germen afterward be- 
comes an oval fruit, contracted at both ends, and a little 
compreffed, having one cell, full of pulp, including a fingle 
round feed. 
This genus of plants is ranged in the firft fedlion of 
Linnaeus’s thirteenth clafs, intitled Polyandria Mo- 
nogynia, the flower having many ftamina and one 
ftyle. 
There is but one Species of this genus at prefent 
known, which is, 
Bocconia. ( Fruteflens .) Lin. Sp. Plant. 505. Bocconia 
racemofa, fphondylii folio tomentofo. Plum. Nov. 
Gen. 
This plant is called, by Sir Hans Sioane, in his Na- 
tural Hiftory of Jamaica, Chelidonium majus arbo- 
reum, foliis quercinis ; or Greater Tree Celandine with 
Oak leaves. 
It is very common in Jamaica, and feveral other parts 
of America, where it grows to the height of ten or 
twelve feet, having a ftrait trunk as large as a man’s 
arm, which is covered with a white finooth bark. 
At the top it divides into feveral branches, on which 
the leaves are placed alternately. Thefe leaves are 
eight or nine inches long, and five or fix broad, deeply 
-N n finu- 
1 
