| 
THE BOTANY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 247 
_ show their shoots, and while the weather is not too wet, the lights may 
| be taken away during the day-time, and altogether removed in April 
or beginning of May. When the weather becomes dry they will re- 
quire to be watered frequently, and if proper care has been bestowed 
on them they will be in flower in June, continuing to flower, if the 
weather is favourable, till the end of August. After flowering, they 
should again be kept somewhat dry, without, at the same time 
being deprived altogether of water, should there be no gentle showers, 
during the time they are ripening their seeds. By the end of Sep- 
tember, the bulbs should be taken out and kept clean and dry on a 
shelf in an airy part of a greenhouse, and where they will be out of 
the direct rays of the sun. Gladiolus floribundus and gandavensis are 
the two best in respect of their flowers and their hardy character. G. 
gandavensis especially is a very fine hybrid between G. cardinalis and 
G. psittacinus; it is in every respect far better than its parents. The 
best way to treat it is to prepare a small bed in the flower garden with 
rich sandy soil. Take about a dozen or fifteen strong bulbs, and put 
them in by themselves, about six or seven inches deep. This may be 
done in the middle of October; they do not require any cover over 
them during the winter time. In spring, when they begin to grow, 
water must be given to them very frequently. ‘The flowers will be seen 
in May or beginning of June. G. psittacinus, cardinalis, and bizar- 
rhinus require the same treatment. The bulbs must be taken out, after 
their stems and leaves get yellow, and they must be kept clean and dry 
in an airy place till they are planted again. ‘They propagate themselves 
by forming a great many young bulbs during the summer, 
THE BOTANY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 
Tue following interesting observations on the botany of the western 
part of the colony of Australia, are derived from a communication of 
Mr. James Drummond’s to Mr. Leake, and published in the Journal 
of Botany. They will be found to describe a number of new plants 
remarkable for beauty or otherwise interesting, collected by Mr. 
Drummond chiefly on the Perongarup and Toolbranup hills, which are 
situate from thirty to forty miles to the north-east of King George’s 
Sound, and consist of clusters or groups of hills surrounded by a kind 
of indurated clay, coloured from ironstone, of a very barren description. 
Jt is evident, from Mr. Drummond’s account, that the great variety of 
plants which clothe the surface of these hills, must, in a great measure 
be attributed to the different nature of the rocks and soil of which it 
appears they are composed. It is a well known fact, that plants vary 
according to the latitude, longitude, or altitude of their locality, but it 
is very evident, the difference caused by these, in the extent of a few 
hundred miles, is not near so great as that caused by the different 
nature of the soil. The Leguminose tribe of plants are more nume- 
rous than any other in Australia, and of these Mr. Drummond has 
made many additions. ‘One of the most beautiful plants I have 
seen,” he says, “ is, I suppose, a species of Gastrolobium, which I call 
