212 TEE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



CAPE COWSLIPS. 



BY THOMAS TBTTSSLEE, 

 Head Gardener, High Leigh, Hoddesden, Herts. 



HE pretty pendulous-flowered Lachenalias are easily 

 grown, readily propagated, and moreover continue in 

 flower such a length of time, that in directing attention 

 to them I feel bound to express my surprise that they 

 are not more generally cultivated in small gardens. All 

 those at present in cultivation are useful for forming edgings to 

 flower-beds in prominent positions, which are filled with hyacinths, 

 and other bulbous plants that flower in spring. But they are 

 most valuable for the decoration of the conservatory and indoor 

 apartments, because they are so neat in growth, showy in appear- 

 ance, and are not quickly affected by draughts, and other injurious 

 influences to which flowering plants, placed in indoor apartments, 

 are usually exposed. 



A very few words will suffice to show the manner in which they 

 should be managed to produce robust plants and large well-deve- 

 loped spikes of flowers. Eor flowering early, pot a batch of bulbs 

 either in the second or third week in August. To succeed the first 

 batch, and to bloom without the aid of artificial heat, September is 

 a capital time for giving them their annual shift. In putting them 

 in fresh pots, first take them out of the pots, and then separate the 

 large bulbs, which may be expected to flower, from the small offsets 

 which have formed round them during the past season. After this 

 is done, pot them at the rate of six bulbs to each six-inch pot, in 

 good fibry loam two parts, and one part each of rotten dung and 

 leaf-mould, with a sprinkling of silver-sand. Bury the bulbs about 

 an inch below the surface, and fill the soil in rather firm. When 

 the potting is completed, place the pots in a cold frame, and apply 

 just sufficient soft water to keep the soil moist, and thus enable the 

 bulbs to make a good start. When the young leaves make their 

 appearance above the surface of the soil, it will be well to place a 

 portion of the stock in the greenhouse, and from thence, after a few 

 weeks' stay, into the forcing-house, or other structure, where they 

 can have the aid of a gentle warmth, with the advantage of plenty 

 of light and air. The foliage of Lachenalias soon becomes drawn if 

 they are placed in close confinement, or a high temperature ; there- 

 fore they should be kept near the glass, where they can enjoy the 

 full advantage of the light, and just sufficient air to keep the growth 

 dwarf and sturdy, and only have sufficient warmth to maintain a 

 steady growth. The second lot should be taken to the greenhouse 

 a fortnight or three weeks later, and not have any artificial heat ; 

 and a third batch to succeed these may be left in the frame until 

 they begin to come into flower. By this arrangement a continuous 

 supply can be kept up for a period of about three months. 



Water must be applied freely after the pots are filled with roots, 

 and the growth has made considerable progress above ground. With 



