156 PRACTICAL FLOEICULTTTKE. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



CAPE BULBS VARIETIES AND CULTURE. 

 GLADIOLUS. 



Foremost among all " Cape Bulbs " (so called from be- 

 ing natives of the Cape of Good Hope), stands the GLAIV 

 IOLTJS. Perhaps no plant that we have in cultivation has 

 made such an advance under the hands of the hybridizer 

 within the past dozen years as this. We can well remem- 

 ber the time when the species and varieties were confined 

 to Q-. cardinalis, Gr. communis, Q-. blandus, G. ramosus, 

 and Natalenis, (or psittacinus,) and also the advent of the 

 then new hybrid Gandavensis, which may be said to be 

 the forerunner of all the beautiful varieties we now possess. 

 These varieties are now almost numberless, varying in ev- 

 ery shade of their beautiful markings, which range through 

 all degrees of scarlet, crimson, purple, carmine, rose, yel- 

 low, and violet, down to white. It is useless to indicate 

 varieties by name, as the annual improvements being made 

 will possibly cause those which rank as the best of to-day 

 to appear of inferior merit in two years hence. 



Gladioluses are of the easiest culture ; in this district^ 

 planted out the first week in May, they will be in bloom in 

 July, and by making successive plantings every two weeks 

 to the middle of July they can be had in perfection until 

 the first of November. Although they are not at all par- 

 ticular about soil, yet, if choice can be had, a sandy loam, 

 peat, or a soil of decomposed leaves is better suited than 

 a stiff clayey soil. In any soil the flowers will be larger 

 and richer in color if the bed be well enriched with ma- 

 nure. All bulbs of the Gladiolus will flower if over three- 

 quarters of an inch in diameter ; but of course the larger 

 will be likely to produce larger spikes of flowers. 



