BLANDFORDIA. 
Greenhouse and Stove Plants. 
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and the anthers orange. It has been 
recently introduced from Bahia. 
B. thyrsoidea. Has bright-green leaves, 
with small spines on their edges, blunt at 
the point, and slightly reflexed. Bracts 
rich crimson, forming an oblong, obtuse 
cone; flowers similar in colour to the 
bracts, close and erect. From Brazil. 
B. vittata amabilis. Of medium growth, 
leaves stout and banded, flowers pale 
purple. Brazil. 
InsEcts.—Billbergias suffer little from 
red spider, thrips, or aphides, inasmuch as 
the hard texture of the leaves does not suit 
their tastes; but scale, both white and 
brown, thrive upon them, and must be 
removed by sponging. Mealy bug will 
also live on them, and should be destroyed 
by laying the plants on their sides and 
syringing with sufficient force to dislodge 
the insects. 
BLANDFORDIA. 
In the Blandfordias we have a group of 
very pretty greenhouse plants, remarkable 
for their distinct habit of both growth and 
flower. The foliage is not unlike that of 
some of the narrow-leaved Irises, and is 
gracefully recurved. The bloom stems rise 
erect above the leaves, and bear corymbs 
of tube-shaped drooping flowers compressed 
at the extremity. The flowers, in their 
drooping habit so as to cling close to the 
stem, assume much of the form of those of 
Fritillaria (Crown Imperial), the well 
known hardy spring-flowering  peren- 
nial. 
Blandfordias are plants that do not grow 
to a large size, and rarely attain a height of 
more than from 1 to 2 feet. They are 
summer flowerers, and from their distinct 
appearance afford a nice contrast to other 
greenhouse plants. 
They are raised from seeds or suckers, 
which latter are produced in moderate 
numbers when the plants are strong. 
Seeds should be sown as soon as ripe in 
shallow well-drained pans in a mixture of 
sifted peat, loam, and sand, and should be 
covered lightly ; the pans should be stood 
in a greenhouse, and the soil kept slightly 
moistened. The seed takes some time to 
vegetate, and it will be better to let the 
young plants remain undisturbed until 
spring ; when large enough, prick them out 
in pans filled with soil similar to that in 
which the seed was sown, allowing them to 
stand a couple of inches apart. Place the 
pans in a light warm greenhouse or pit, 
giving a little shade in very bright weather. 
Blandfordias are not plants that require 
much protection in this way, but in common 
with most young stock of a like nature 
they make more progress when not fully 
exposed to the sun. Here they may remain 
during the summer, receiving a moderate 
amount of air through the growing time, 
with enough water to keep the soil in a 
fairly moist condition. Winter at about 
45° or 50°. Blandfordias will bear a lower 
temperature than this, but while young 
they will make more progress when not 
located in less warmth, and it is well to 
get them on to a flowering state. In the 
spring move them singly into 3 or 4 inch 
pots according to the size they haveattained, 
using soil similar to that which they have 
hitherto had; treat as in the previous 
summer. The plants will this season gain 
strength fast and increase in size. Winter 
as before, and in the spring give pots from 
1 to 3 inches larger as the difference in 
size requires; now use the soil a little 
rougher, and pot moderately firm. The 
strongest examples may be expected to 
flower this summer, and as soon as the 
bloom decays cut out the flower stems, and 
treat until autumn and through the winter 
as before. In the spring again move them, 
giving pots from 1 to 2 inches larger 
according to the progress made, and after 
this manage as hitherto advised. As the 
plants increase in size they will form 
suckers, which, when it is desirable to 
increase the numbers, may be taken off 
and placed singly in small pots and kept 
in a closer atmosphere for a few weeks 
until the roots begin to move freely. They 
will progress under like conditions to 
those advised for the plants raised from 
seed. 
All the undermentioned are handsome 
flowered kinds :— 
B. aurea. Has golden-yellow flowers. 
It comes from New South Wales. 
B. Cunninghamti. A very fine kind, 
bearing large, deep-red flowers, the ex- 
tremities yellow. New Holland. 
B. flammea. Flowers flame-coloured. 
Australia. 
B. flava. A new and very fine large- 
flowered kind, with the brightest of yellow 
flowers. New Holland. 
B. grandiflora. Flowers crimson. New 
South Wales. 
B. marginata. Copper-coloured flowers; 
a distinct-looking kind. Australia. 
B. princeps. Flowers 24 inches long, 
numerous, tube crimson, limb yellow. 
New South Wales. 
Insncts. — Blandfordias are troubled 
with few insects, the hard texture of their 
leaves being distasteful to them. If green- 
fly attacks the young leaves or flower-buds 
fumigation is the best remedy. 
