320 THE GARDENER. [July 



towards the point ; they are arranged in two rows, springing from the 

 bulb, and are about 2 feet long. The flowers are borne in umbels of 

 from ten to twenty blossoms on a stout stem, which rises from the 

 centre of the leaves to about the same height. Each flower is about 

 2 inches across the mouth, of a deep orange colour, somewhat shaded 

 with vermilion. The plant may be either grown from seed or in- 

 creased by division of the roots : the latter method is that generally 

 adopted, and is the best where it is desired to keep the variety pure ; 

 as, like most other plants, they have a tendency to vary when grown 

 from seed. Good strong bulbs, planted singly in 5- or 6-inch pots, make 

 most desirable plants for house or table work, or for vases, for which 

 it is admirably adapted; and of course, if specimen plants are desired, 

 a number should be arranged in large pots, suiting the number to 

 the size of pot. They are robust, strong-rooting plants, and there- 

 fore require good strong soil, and plenty of water during their grow- 

 ing season. Good fibry loam, with a sprinkling of sharp sand, and 

 some old cow-manure incorporated with it, will suit them well ; or a 

 compost consisting of equal parts of loam and peat, with a handful 

 of bone-meal and a due proportion of sand, will suit them equally 

 well. In wintering them they should be kept as nearly as possible in 

 a temperature of from 45° to 50°. 



THE BLANDFORDIA. 



The Blandf ordia constitutes another genus of greenhouse plants which 

 have gone out of fashion and become neglected, and yet there is hardly 

 any more showy plant in cultivation, or one that will better repay the 

 very little care that is required to grow it. We are glad to see, how- 

 ever, that the taste for this kind of plant is again reviving, so that one 

 does occasionally come across a plant or two of it. The Blandfordias 

 are all natives of the Australian continent, and were so named in honour 

 of the Marquis of Blandford. They are all bulbs, and require much 

 about the same kind of treatment as that given to Amaryllis. They 

 shed their leaves in the autumn, and can then be stored away under 

 the greenhouse stage, or other suitable place, for the winter. They are 

 increased by offsets, or can be raised from seed. The soil suitable for 

 growing them consists of loam, peat, and sand in due proportions. 

 The best time to repot them is immediately after they have done 

 flowering, and they should be watered sparingly until they take pos- 

 session of the fresh soil. Ordinary greenhouse temperature suits them 

 very well, unless when they are beginning to push out fresh growth, 

 when a slight increase of both heat and moisture will be to their ad- 

 vantage. When in full growth they require a good supply of water ; 

 the pots should therefore be well drained, so that the surplus water 

 may easily run off. 



There are several varieties of the Blandfordia, but B. Cunninghamii, 

 B. flammea, B, grandiflora, and B. nobilis are about the best among 



