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LEFT BLANC 58 BLAND editorial staff of the "Revue des Deux Mondes," to which she has contributed notable translations and reviews of many American, English, and German authors. Her literary essays on these contempo- raneous writers were collected in "For- eign Literature and Customs" (1882) and "Recent American Novelists" (1885). Her first work to attract attention was "A Divorce" (1871). Two other novels, «'A Remorse" (1879), and "Tony" (1889), were crowned by the French Academy. Other stories are "Georgette" and "Jac- queline" (1893). The fruit of her first visit to the United States was "Con- dition of Woman in the Unittid States" (1895) ; "Au Dessus de I'Abime" (1905). She died in 1907. BLANC, PAUL JOSEPH, a French genre painter; studied under Bin and Cabanel. He won the Grand Prize of Rome in 1867; the first class medal of the Paris Salon in 1872; the decoration of the Legion of Honor in 1878; and the first class medal in the Paris Exposition of 1889. One of his best known works is a decorative composition depicting events in the life of Clovis. He died July 5, 1904. BLANCHING, or ETIOLATION, a process of culture restored to by gardeners to prevent certain secretions which in ordinary circumstances, take place in the leaves of plants, and to render them more pleasant and wholesome for food. Artificial blanching is managed (1) by earthing up the leaves and suc- culent stems of plants, such as celery, asparagus, etc. For this purpose celery is planted in trenches, and earth is grad- ually drawn in round the stems as they advance in growth. (2) By tying to- gether the leaves with strings of matting, as is sometimes done with lettuce, endive, etc. (3) By overlaying, which can be done with tiles, slates, pieces of board, or utensils made for the purpose. The most common is the blanching pot, used to exclude the light from seakale, rhu- barb, and some other culinary vegetables, in which the green color is to be avoided. BLANC-MANGE, in cookery, a name of different preparations of the con- sistency of a jelly, variously composed of dissolved isinglass, arrow root, maize flour, etc., with milk and flavoring sub- stances. BLANCO, ANTONIO GUZmAn, a Venezuelan military officer, born in Caracas, Feb. 29, 1828. He became prom- ment m the Federalist revolts, 1859-1863, and, when his party triumphed, was made first Vice-President in 1863 under Falcon who was deposed in the Revolution of 1868. Blanco led a successful counter revolution in 1870, became President, and retained the office till 1882. In 1893 he was appointed Minister to France, where he resided till his death, July 29, 1899. BLANCO, CAPE, a remarkable head- land on the W. coast of Africa, in 20° 47' N. lat., and 16° 58' W. long., the extremity of a rocky ridge which pro- jects from the Sahara in a westerly di- rection, and then, bending southward, forms a commodious harbor called the Great Bay. Cape Blanco was first dis- covered by the Portuguese in 1441. Cape Blanco (i. e.. White Cape) is also the name of several less important headlands in Spain, Greece, America, and the Philip- pines. BLAND, EDITH NESBIT, an English author, writing under the name "E. Nesbit," born in London, Aug. 15, 1858. She has been a prolific writer of books for the young that have met with popular favor, and has also published some vol- umes of verse. Among her works are "Leaves of Life" (1888) ; "The Harden Mystery" (1896) ; "The Story of the Treasure Seekers" (1899) ; "The Red House" (1903) ; "Man and Maid" (1906) ; "Salome and the Head" (1909); and "Wings and the Child" (1913). BLAND, JOHN OTWAY PERCY, an English journalist and author; bom in Whiteabbey, County Antrim, Ireland, Nov. 15, 1863. He studied in Switzerland and at Trinity College, Dublin. He was secretary of Sir Robert Hart, when the latter was in China on his work in con- nection with the Chinese customs finances (1883-1885), and in 1906 became the rep- resentative in China of the British and Chinese Corporation. He was Chinese cor- respondent of the London "Times" from 1897 to 1910. His knowledge of Chinese life and character was extensive and profound. He lectured widely on the subject both in England and America. Among his works are "Houseboat Days In China" (1909), "China Under the Empress Dowager" (1910), "Annals and Memoirs of the Court of Peking" (1913) and "Li Hung Chang" (1917). BLAND, RICHARD PARKS, an American legislator, born near Hartford, Ky., Aug. 19, 1835; received an academic cal education, and, between 1855 and 1865, practiced law in Missouri, Cali- fornia, and Nevada, and was engaged for some time in mining. In 1865 he settled in Rolla, Mo., and practiced there till 1865, when he removed to Lebanon in the same State. He was a member