CAPE BULBS AS WINDOW ORNAMENTS. 143 



cultivation of this class of plants in pots. It is qnite true, as he remarks, that very 

 elevens errors are committed in furnishing them with excessive suppl.es of water, 

 i that to this cause is to he attributed the frequent failures to which he aUude, 

 We have found, however, that the Ixia and Sparaxis require only to be planted in 

 light soil, containing a considerable proportion of white sand, the pot being well 

 drained ; and that, unless very incautiously watered, they will flourish on the window 

 nearly as well as in the greenhouse. _ 



The employment of the sharp white sand is a sine qud non; it renders the entire 

 m ass of the soil so pervious to the passage of the superfluous moisture, as well as to 

 the atmospheric influences, that we believe it to be essential to success, and especially 

 so in the case of the smaUer conns. Let our correspondent then make one more 

 attempt at their growth in pots. A few pints of white sand-or, what will do as 

 well, very sandy peat-should be procured. If the latter, add to it one-third its bulk 

 of good fibrous loam, and the same of leaf-mould. If pure sand is employed, then 

 equal proportions of sand, loam, and peat, or leaf-mould, may be used. We have 

 succeeded very well with good peat, containing about one-third of sand, without the 

 admixture of any other ingredients. The materials should be roughly mixed with 

 the hands, and pots drained one-third of their depth, filled with the compost The 

 corms are often planted in groups of three ; but we prefer a good clump of them 

 from six to ten of the smaller corms, such as those of the Ixia; the larger and 

 stronger growing species wiU require to be planted separately The period at 

 which the roots are potted depends, in some measure, on the character of the 

 species; we prefer, however, the end of October for all the spring flowering species, 

 as although they are often planted in March, we have found that those potted m 

 the autumn produced the strongest specimens. Where a succession is required, 

 a few may be potted at each season; those planted in March will flower in June 



" TlLfsoil should be in a damp, but by no means moist, condition, at the time of 

 planting, and but very little water should be given until the stems appear through 

 the surface; for, until the roots are formed, large supplies of fluid nutriment will be, 

 of course, superfluous. The pots containing the bulbs should be placed in a sunny 

 window, but not in a warm apartment; the most healthy specimens are usually 

 those which are slowly grown. When they have made some progress upwards, the 

 supplies of water may be gradually increased, and air should be given them freely 

 in fine weather. The tall growing species will need a slight support. 



The early flowering genera arc but little subject to the attacks of insects ; but 

 those which blossom in July and August arc sometimes infested with the red spider, 

 especially in a very dry hot atmosphere. Whenever the leaves become spotted with 

 minute yellow specks, this little pest will be sure to be found present; but it is 

 easily removed by sponging the foliage frequently, or by syringing them out ot 



