BLANDFORDIA. 



Greenhuunt and Stove Fiaiitd. 



73 



and the anthers orange. It has been 

 recently introduced fron'i Bahia. 



B. thyrsoidea. Has bright-gieen 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 araabilis. Of medium growth, 

 leaves stout and banded, flowers pale 

 purple. Brazil. 



Insects. — Billbergias sufi"er 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 Avill 

 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 nnlike 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 foini of those of 

 Fiitillaria (CroAvn Imijerial), 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 flower ei's, and from their distinct 

 appearance aff'ord a nice contrast to other 

 greenhouse plants. 



They are raised from seeds or suckers, 

 which latter aie 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 

 moistentrd. The seed takes some time to 

 vegetate, a^id 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 so^vn, fjlowing 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 natuie 

 they make more j^rogress when not fully 

 exposed to the sun. Here they may lemain 

 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 Avili make more progress when not 

 located in less warmth, and it is well to 

 get them on to a floweiing state. In the 

 sjjring move them singly into 3 or 4 inch 

 pots according to the size they have attained, 

 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 spiing give pots from 

 1 to 3 inches larger as the difterence in 

 size requires ; now use the soil a little 

 rougher, and jjot modeiately firm. The 

 strongest examples may be expected to 

 floAver 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 i:)lants raised from 

 seed. 



All the undermentioned are handsome 

 flowered kinds : — 



B. aurea. Has golden-yelhnv flowers. 

 It comes from New South Wales. 



B. Cunninghamii. A very fine kind, 

 beai-ing large, dee]i-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. marginafa. Copper-coloured flowers; 

 a distinct-looking kind. Australia. 



B. jrrinceps. Flowers 2^ inches long, 

 numerous, tube crimson, limb yellow. 

 New South Wales. 



Insects. — 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. 



