144 CAPE BULBS AS WIHDOW OliNAMEXTS. 



doors. After flowering, water should be gradually withheld, unless seed is desired ; 

 and when the foliage is withered, the pots should be exposed to the sun, to ripen 

 the corms. They may be preserved in the pots until the season arrives for replanting 

 them, or disinterred and wrapped in paper, as convenience may suggest. 



Before we enumerate a few of the most desirable species, we would observe that, 

 in some instances, moss has been substituted for soil, with success. "We have not, 

 at present, any personal experience of its value as a medium, but we are about to 

 give the plan a trial, and see no reason to doubt its feasibility. The common crocus 

 is well known to succeed perfectly, planted thickly in moss. 



The mosses in a damp state are to be pressed into the pots so as to form a compact 

 mass, and the bulbs are planted exactly as in soil. As the moss decays and settles 

 down, fresh portions may be added, either at the top or bottom ; in the latter case, 

 the ball must be turned out, which may be safely dune, for the roots so intertwine 

 with the mass, that it may be moved more safely than the ordinary materials. Of 

 course, it will be necessary to water the moss at times ; but it appears to retain 

 moisture longer than most soils. Probably nearly all the Amaryllids, Irids, and 

 Lily- worts, grown as spring plants for the window, might be made to flower in this 

 elegant substance. 



The most interesting of the Cape bulbs for window culture are, first, the 



Ixias and Sparaxis. — We class these together, as the only distinction between 

 them consists in the laceration, in the latter genus, of the membranous spathe from 

 which the flowers issue. The most desirable Ixias, are aulica, amethystine, 

 crater hides, maculata, multiflora, patens, polystachya, and viridiflora, the last is a 

 very curions species. Of the Sparaxis, the best are tricolor, bullocodium, grandi- 

 flora, bicolor, and all its varieties, and versicolor. 



Babiana. — This is a very pretty dwarf genus, the best species are rubrocyanca, 

 Tlmnbergii, sambucina, plicata, and villosa. 



Triclionema. — Like the preceding, the species are of dwarf habit, and early 

 flowerers. Bullocodium, caulesccns, and speciosum, are, perhaps, the prettiest. 



BTesperantha. — This is a genus of limited extent, but the species are all of 

 interest. Graminifolia, falcata, pilosa, and radiata, are the principal. The flowers 

 of all are of a violet tint, and are borne in May. 



Antholyza. — This, and the following genera, are of taller growth. A. splendens 

 known also as Anisanthus splendens, is a very handsome plant, with scarlet flowers. 



Watsonia. — Some of these are very tall, others do not exceed two feet. They 

 resemble the Gladioli in their flowers, which are very beautiful. 



Tritonia. — The beautiful T. aurea has already received a notice in these pages, 

 and there are also several other showy species, such as crocata, and longifiora, and 

 their varieties, which may be had cheap. The culture of Cape Bulbs in the open 

 air we are obliged to defer to a future number. 



