224 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, January 10, 1860. 
B. erocera (tall). Leaves bi-tripinnate; leaflets linear, acute, 
channelled, entire ; involucre outer leaves blunt, downy; germs 
cuneiform, transversely compressed, two-awned. 6 ft. Yellow. 
November. Mexico. 
B. bepens (creeping). 2 ft. Yellow. July. Nepaul. 
Yellow flowers like Coreopsis. They will grow in any common 
soil not too wet. The last named is a deciduous creeper, useful 
for covering naked banks or rockwork in out-of-the-way places. 
Propagated by taking up the plants and cutting them into 
divisions, each part having its roots retained. Replant im¬ 
mediately in fresh soil. The best time for this operation is early 
spring, the plants then get established before the winter sets in. 
The creeper may be divided and transplanted any time of the 
year, weather permitting. 
BISCUTELLA—Buckleii Mustard. 
Nat. ord. Crucifer®. Linn. Tetradynamia Siliculosa.. 
Generic Character. — Silicle flat, biscutate; cells orbicular, 
one-seeded, laterally united to the axis. Style long, permanent. 
Seed compressed. Embryo inverted. 
Biscutelea ambigua (doubtful). Silicles smooth, even; 
leaves pilosely-scabrous ; radical-leaves sinuately-toothed, nar¬ 
rowed at the base; stem-leaves very few, rather cordate at 
base, and half stem-clasping. 9 in. Yellow. June. Italy. 
B. coronopifolia (Buckthorn-leaved). Silicles smooth, even; 
leaves pilosely scabrous, chiefly radical, pinnatifid, two or 
three remote lobes on each side. 6 in. Yellow. June. Italy. 
B. laevigata (smooth). Silicles smooth, even; leaves mostly 
radical, pilose, scabrous, oblong, rather toothed or entire ; stem- i 
leaves linear, few, quite entire. 1 ft. Yellow. June, Italy. 
B.- alpestris (alpine). 1 ft. Yellow. June. Hungary. 
B. longifolia (long-leaved). This is only a variety of B. saxa- 
tills , having entire leaves. Switzerland. 
B. Montana (mountain). Silicles smooth, even; leaves nearly 
all radical, obovate-cuneated, toothed, downy. 1 ft. Yellow. 
July. Spain. 
B. SAXatilis (stone). Silicles smooth, rough with dots on disk; 
leaves rough with hairs, mostly radical, oblong. 1 ft. Yellow. 
June. S. of Europe. 
B. sempervirens (evergreen). Silicles smooth, rough on disk 
with dots; leaves mostly radical, erect, linear-lanceolate, 
hoary, almost entire. 1 ft. Yellow. June. Spain. 
B. stenophylla (narrow-leaved). Silicles disks rough with 
dots, not pubescent; petals bi-auricled; radical-leaves hispid, 
lanceolate-linear, remotely toothed, or somewhat pinnatifid; 
stems almost naked, and rather simple. 1 ft. Yellow. June. 
Spain. 
A genus of rather pretty, low-growing plants, requiring a com¬ 
mon soil, if calcareous, or mixed with old lime rubbish. Easily 
propagated by taking up the plants either in spring or autumn, 
dividing them into moderately strong parts, and replanting 
directly in freshened soil, where they are to remain. They will 
continue growing well for several years, if a little dressing of fresh 
earth be given to them every autumn. 
BLEPHILIA. 
Nat. ord. Labiatse. Linn. Diarpdria Monogynia. 
Generic Character. — Calyx ovate-tubular, thirteen-nerved ; 
throat naked inside, bi-labiate ; upper lip tri-dentate, teeth 
awned ; lower lip bi-dentate, awned. Corolla tube slightly 
exserted; inside exannulate ; throat dilated ; limb bi-labiate; 
upper lip erect, entire; lower spreading, trifid. Upper stamens 
abortive. Loiver stamens fertile, ascending, exserted from 
corolla’s upper lip. Filaments toothless. Anthers linear, 
rather two-celled. Style equally bifid at top. Stigmas minute, 
terminal. This genus has been formed from two species of the 
genus Monarda. 
Blephilia ciliata (fringed). Leaves nearly sessile, ovate-ob¬ 
long, narrowed at base, hoary beneath; lower floral-leaves 
conforming to stem-leaves; upper and outer bracts ovate- 
acute, coloured, equalling the calices. 3 ft. Red. July. 
N. America. 
B. HiRSUTA (hairy). Leaves petiolate, ovate, roundly cordate at 
base, hairy on both sides; lotver floral-leaves conforming to 
stem-leaves; upper and bracts linear-subulate, shorter than 
calices ; calices pubescent, recurved. 3 ft. Purple. August. 
N. America. 
A small tribe of showy plants allied to Monarda. The bracts 
are beautifully fringed like eyelashes, which is the reason of the 
generic name (Blepharis—the eyelash). The plants send up 
side-shoots which may be taken off when rooted, and planted out 
either where they may remain or in nursery rows to be trans¬ 
planted in Bpring. They thrive well in rather rich sandy loam. 
(To be continued.) T. Appleby. 
BOTTOM HEAT and ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE. 
The term “Bottom Heat ” is employed by gardeners to denote 
a medium warmer than the common soil, applied to the roots of 
plants which are natives of more sunny and genial climes, during 
their period of growth, to enable them to approximate more closely 
t o the warmth of their native soil. If we examine the great book 
of Nature, we shall find her in most cases giving a few degrees 
higher temperature to the soil in which the roots flourish than to 
the atmosphere which surrounds them ; and thus we find that, in 
giving assistance in this way to plants, we are only following out 
her own laws. 
In former times we used to see old stoves with bark-beds where 
the plants were plunged in tan, and the same amount of stimulus 
in the way of bottom heat maintained in the dull dark days of 
winter which prevailed under the meridian sun. How often have 
we seen fine old orange trees plunged in a mass of hot stable- 
dung, and, after having made fine, succulent, fleshy roots and 
beautiful foliage, confined in some old dungeon of a place, where, 
cold, and wet, and in sour soil, they have soon lost all their stamina 
and health. In contradistinction to this plunging the plants in 
tan, how much better is the .system of chambered shelves, in 
which we can regulate the heat perfectly, and which now generally 
supersedes the old bed of tanner’s bark. 
It will be perfectly plain to the judicious gardener that the 
stimulus of bottom heat is most applicable to plants during the 
season of vigorous growth; and that, when that ceases, the 
stimulating agent should be in a measure withheld, and that rest 
should follow the season of full development. To cuttings and 
young plants it is also very favourable ; and we are all acquainted 
with its being an important agent in producing fine Melons and 
Pine Apples. Something like bottom heat appears to be essential 
to plants; for, if the branches and leaves are stimulated by heat, 
they will consume the sap of the stem faster than it can be 
supplied, unless the roots are also stimulated in some degree. 
Tan and hotbeds are frequently used as resources for the rearing 
of tender plants; and they answer perfectly, unless to those 
species which have not bottom heat in their native country, and 
these soon become weak and blanched, presenting a drawn 
appearance if thus treated. 
The Vine, being a native of hot climates, demands in the 
growing season that some attention be paid to affording its roots 
a congenial medium to grow in. For this purpose many schemes 
are practised: borders are chambered, and hot-water pipes are 
introduced ; fermenting materials are placed upon the surface, 
the heat of which mostly ascends and passes off; while the roots 
close to the surface are heated to excess, leaving the lower ones in 
a state of damp chilliness quite incompatible with that of their 
fellows upon the surface. 
Perhaps there is no greater empiricism practised than that 
which relates to the art of supplying bottom heat; and yet it is 
an art which the most uneducated men profess to understand, 
Happily these men are fast numbering with the “ things which 
were.” I have no doubt in my own mind that we ought to 
think deeply on this my theme; and I attach as much importance 
to the skilful regulation and judicious application of bottom heat 
as I do to atmospheric temperature and moisture. 
It is, then, absolutely necessary for the cultivator to know 
something of the geogi-aphical distribution of the plants he culti¬ 
vates, in order that lie may not act unwisely in the application of 
this principle. 
It is true that we find many of our hardy plants, which are 
benefited by the application of bottom heat during the period of 
forcing. Such plants as the Rose, the Lilac, and the Lily of the 
Valley, for instance, are benefited ; because these plants, flower¬ 
ing as they do in May and June, enjoy for their roots the accu¬ 
mulated heat of our summer suns upon the ground, and have a 
greater supply of it than a'forcing-house shelf can give where the 
aerial temperature does not exceed 50° or 55°. Practice says, 
“ Introduce your Roses and other plants into gentle bottom 
heat;” but I think theory would urge us rather to do this in 
the course of their progress than at first. In the early spring the 
ground is not warmed; vegetation comes on but slowly till the 
