5 22 ELI 
BLl'TUM, f. [^Atrcv or @hflrqi/ y from aljicien - 
as fit only to be thrown away.] In botany, a genus 
of the clafs monandria, order digynia, natural order ho- 
loracete. The generic characters are—calyx : perianthium 
three-parted, fpreading, permanent; divilionsovate, equal, 
two more gaping than the other. Corolla: none. Sta¬ 
mina : filament fetaceous, longer than the calyx, within 
the middle divifion, erett; anthera twin. Piliilluin : germ 
ovate, acuminate ; ftyles two, eredf, gaping, the length of 
the (iamen ; fligmas (imple. Pericarpiunr : capfule very 
thin, (rather the cruft of the feed,) ovate, a little com- 
preffed, contained within the calyx now become a berry. 
Seed: fingle, globular, comprefled, the fize of the cap¬ 
fule.— Ejfectial CharaElcr. Calyx trifid ; petals none ; feed 
one, with a b'erried calyx. 
Species, x. Blitum capita-til m, or berry-headed flraw- 
berry blite : heads fpiked terminal. This is an annual 
plant, with leaves fomewhat like thofe of fpinach. The 
ftalk rifes about two feet and a half high, in gardens. 
The leaves on the lower part of it are of the fame fhape 
with the root-leaves, only fmaller. The upper part of it 
has flowers coming out in ftnall heads at every joint, and 
is terminated by a fmall clufler of the fame. After the 
flow'ers are palf, thefe little heads fwell to the fize of 
wood-rtraw berries, and, when ripe, have the fame appear¬ 
ance'; being very fucculent, and full of a purple juice, 
which fiains the hands, and was formerly much tiled in 
cookery, for colouring puddings, See. In the wild plant, 
the (tern grows upright, and only about a foot high. Leaves 
triangular, frequently cut half w-ay into three lobes, with 
a few teeth, and (landing on long petioles. Heads of 
flowers feflile, not only terminating, but along the whole 
tipper part of the dept, from all the axils. Styles of the 
fame colour with the calyx. Seed black when ripe. It is 
commonly called ftrawberry blite, ftrawberry fpinach, and 
bloody fpinach ; by forne, berry-bearing orach. Native 
of Switzerland, the Grifons, Auftria, the Tyrol, Spain, 
and Portugal. Cultivated by Parkinfon, in 1633. 
2. Blitum virgatum, or llender-branched ftrawberry 
blite: heads fcattered lateral. This feldom grows more 
than one foot high, with fmaller leaves than the firfl, but 
of the fame fliape. The flowers are produced from the 
axils, almofl the whole length of the fialk. They are 
fmall, and collefted into little heads, fliaped like thofe of 
the firfl, but fmaller, and not fo deeply coloured. Native 
of the fouth of France, Spain, Italy, and Tartary. 
3. Blitum tartaricum : leaves triangular fliarply toothed, 
heads Ample lateral. 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. Flowers 
axillary in fmall heads. Fruits of the fame fliape and co¬ 
lour as thofe of the firfl, but fmaller. This differs from 
that in the fliape and indentures of the leaves; and in 
having leaves placed between the fruits the whole length 
of the (talk, which is not terminated by heads as the firfl, 
but has leaves above the heads. The feeds were lent to 
Mr. Miller by Dr. Ammann, profeflor of botany at Pe- 
terfburgh. It is probably no more than a variety of the 
fecond fort. 
4. Blitum chenapodioides : heads in whorls juicelefs. 
This is a very low plant, much refembling chenopodium. 
Native of Tartary; now in Sweden. This is omitted in 
the Syflema, and is probably only a variety. Indeed the 
four forts feern to be in reality but one. 
Propagation and Culture. 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 fovvn in March or 
April, upon a bed of common earth, in an open fituation, 
the plants will come up in a month or five weeks after ; 
and, if they are to remain in the place where they are 
fovvn, 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 
fliow their berries, when they will make a pretty appear- 
3 
B L O 
ance. But many people tranfplant them into the borders 
of the flower-garden, and others plant them in pots, to 
to have them ready for removing to court-yards, or to 
place upon low walls, among other annual flowers, to 
adorn thofe places, WLen thefe plants are defigned to be 
removed, they fhould be tranfplanted before they (hoot 
up their flower-denis, for they will not bear tranfplanting 
well afterwards: and, if they are planted in pots, they 
will require to be duly watered in dry weather, otherwife 
the plants will flint, arid 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. See 
Achyranthes, Amaranthus, Chenopodium, and 
Gunnera. 
To BLOAT, v. a. [probably from blow.'] To fwell, or 
make turgid with wind : it has up, an intenlive particle ; 
His rude e flays 
Encourage him, and blpat him up with praife, 
That he may get more bulk before he dies. Dryden. 
Jo BLOAT, v. n. To grow turgid.—If a perfon of a 
firm conftitution begins to bloat, from being warm grows 
cold, his fibres grow weak'. Arbuthnot. 
BLOAT, adj. Swelled with intemperance; turgid. 
BLOAT'EDNESS, f. Tufgidnefs; fwelling; tumour. 
—Laflitude, lazinefs, bioatednfs, and fcorbutical fpots, are 
fymptoms of weak fibres. Arbuthnot. 
BLOB'BER, J. A word uled in fome counties fora 
bubble.—There fvvimmeth alfo in the fea a round (limy 
fubftance, called a blobber, reputed noiforrie to fifh. Carezu. 
BLOB'BERLIP, f. [from blob, or blobber, and lip. J 
A thick lip : J 
They make a wit of their infipid friend. 
His blobbcrlips and beetlebrows commend. Dryden. 
BI.O'B'LIPPED, or Blobberliffed. Havingfwelled 
or thick lips.—His perfon deformed to the higheft de¬ 
gree ; flat-nofed, and blobberlipped. L’EJlrange. 
To BLOCK, v. a. [ bloquer , Fr.] To (hut up; to in- 
clofe, fo as to hinder egrefs ; to obftrudl.—Tiie dates 
about them fhould neither by encreafe of dominion, nor 
by blocking of trade, have in their power to hurt or annoy. 
Clarendon. —It has often up, to note claufure.—The abbot 
raids an army, and blocks up the town on the fide that 
faces his dominions. Addifon. 
BLOCK, f. \_block, Dut. bloc, Fr.] A heavy pfiece of 
timber, rather thick than long. A mafs of matter.—Ho¬ 
mer’s apotheofis confifts of a groupe of figures, cut in the 
fame block of marble, and riling one above another. Ad¬ 
difon. —A niafly body.—Small caufesare fufficient to make 
a man uneafy, when great ones are not in the way : for 
want of a block, he will tumble at a draw. Swift. —A rude 
piece of matter : in contempt.—When, by the help of 
wedges and beetles, an image is cleft out of the trunk of 
fome tree, yet, after the (kill of artificers to fet forth fuch 
a divine block, it cannot one moment fecure itfelf from 
being eaten by worms. Stilling fleet. —The piece of wood 
on which hats are formed. Some old writers ufe block 
for the hat itfelf.—He wears his faith but as the fafhior. 
of his hat; it ever changes with the next block. Shake*., 
fpeare.. —The wood on which criminals are beheaded: 
Some guard thefe traitors to the block of death, 
Treafon’s true bed, and yieider-up of breath. Shakefpeare , 
An obflrudion ; a flop.—Can he ever dream, that the 
fuffering ■ for righteoufnefs fake is our felicity, when he 
fees us run fo from it, that no crime is block enough incur 
way to flop our flight ? Decay of Piety. —A blockhead ; a 
fellow remarkable for flupidity. — What tonguelefs blocks 
were they, would they not (peak ? Shakefpeare. 
BLOCK, f. in the rigging of (hips, is a piece of wood, 
in which the (liivers of pulleys are placed, and wherein 
the running-ropes go. Of thefe fome are fingle, fome 
double ; and fome have three, four, or five, (divers in 
them. They are named and diflinguiihed by the ropes 
they 
