266 ON THE CULTURE OF IXIAS. 



establish a good bottom and then there is no fear of a good 

 bushy head. On the other hand, plant in April or May, sup- 

 pose in a light sandy soil, the spring and summer may be ex- 

 tremely dry as they have been for three years past, what becomes 

 of your Evergreens? Why, the whole head is withered before the 

 autumn, with the exception, perhaps, of a pale weakly shoot, pro- 

 ceeding from the extremity of the root, which, with great diffi- 

 culty is able to endure the trials of the following winter. I have 

 now many hundreds of shrubs growing luxuriantly which have 

 been planted during the last and previous autumns, which I am 

 quite sure would have gone to the tomb of the # Capulets, had they 

 been planted according to the recommendation of a London Nur 

 seryman. I have been induced to offer these observations, be- 

 cause I am quite confident that the best and surest way to elicit 

 truth, is to excite discussion upon any given subject. 



A Constant Reader. 



ARTICLE II. 



ON THE CULTURE OF IXIAS. 



BY FORTUNATl'S. 



Messrs. Locxhart, Seedsmen, London, having most success- 

 fully cultivated Ixias in the open air in this country. I solicited 

 a few remarks as to the plan pursued, and the following particu- 

 lars are what Messrs. Lockhart favoured me with. Believing the 

 remarks would be serviceable to the readers of the Cabinet, I 

 forward them for insertion therein : — they say, 



Take a frame, such as is used for cucumbers, and fill it within 

 three inches of the glass with a compost consisting of one-third 

 of river sand, one -third of leaf-mould, and one-third of decom- 

 posed cow manure. 



The bulbs are planted by the middle of October, or beginning 

 of November, two or three inches deep. During the winter, care 

 must be taken to keep out the frost, giving them, however, as 

 much air as possible on fine days. 



About the beginning of March, the glass ought to be taken off 

 entirely during the day when the weather is fine, but it must be 

 replaced again at night. 



In April, the glass may be taken off for good, both by day and 



