284 GREEN-HOUSE REPOTTING, &C. 



the ground until the seeds ripen, from which plants can 

 be grown, and will flower the third year. 



Lachendlia, a genus of about forty species of bulbs, all 

 natives of the Cape of Good Hope, and grow well in our 

 collections. The most common is L. tricolor. L. quadri- 

 color and its varieties, are all fine ; the colours yellow, scar- 

 let, orange and green, very pure and distinct ; L. riibida, L. 

 punctdta, L. orchoides and L. nervosa, are all fine species. 

 The flowers are on a stem from a half to one foot high, 

 and much in the character of a hyacinth. The end of the 

 month is about the time of planting. Five-inch pots are 

 large enough, and they must get very little water till they 

 begin to grow. 



Oxalis, above one hundred species of Cape bulbs, and, 

 like all other bulbs of that country, they do exceedingly 

 well in our collections, in which there are^only compara- 

 tively a few species, not exceeding twenty. O. hirta, 

 branching, of a vermilion colour; O.Jlabifolia, yellow; O. 

 elongata, striped; and amsena, are those that require pot- 

 ting this month. The first of September is the most pro- 

 per period for the others. (Soil No. 11.) 



This genus of plants is so varied in the construction of 

 its roots, that the same treatment will not do for all. The 

 root is commonly bulbous, and these will keep a few weeks 

 or months out of the soil, according to their size. Several 

 are only thick and fleshy ; these ought not to be taken out 

 of the pots, but kept in them, while dormant ; and about 

 the end of this month give them gentle waterings. When 

 they begin to grow, take the earth from the roots, and put 

 them in fresh soil. In a few months the bulbs are curiously 

 produced, the original bulb near the surface striking a 

 radical fibre downright from its base, at the extremity of 

 which is produced a new bulb for the next year's plant, the 

 old one perishing. 



Ornithogalum, Star of Bethlehem, about sixty species 

 of bulbs, principally from the Cape of Good Hope. Many 

 of them have but little attraction. The most beautiful that 

 we have seen are, O. lacteum which has a spike about one 

 foot long, of fine white flowers ; O. peruvidna, blue flow- 

 ered, and O. aiireum, flowers of a golden colour, in con- 

 tracted racemose corymbs. These three are magnificent. 

 O. maritimum is the oflicinal squill. The bulb is fre- 



