of the JVatural order Iridacece. 413 



in similar sized pots. They may also be grown in a pit or frame. 

 Natives of the Cape of Good Hope. 



S. tricolor. — A very showy species, with orange, yellow and 

 brown colors, growing to the height of a foot or more. It should 

 be in every collection of fine bulbs. 



S. grandiflora. — This species does not grow quite so tall as 

 the tricolor, but the flowers are nearly as beautiful; they are of 

 a rich purple, and the largest of the species. The same treat- 

 ment is to be observed in regard to this as with the others. 

 There are some varieties of this species: grandiflora var. striata 

 is one of them (sometimes called an /'xia). The flowers are 

 straw-coiored, with a stripe of pink through the centre of each 

 petal: it is a very desirable plant. 



S. versicolor. — Less beautiful than the others, but, neverthe- 

 less, very ornamental. The flowers are purple and yellow, and 

 appear in a spike of some length. We have cultivated several 

 pots of this species, and the following, and consider them as en- 

 titled to a place in every good collection. Same treatment as 

 the others. 



S. bicolor. — Similar to the last, except in the colors, which 

 are brown and yellow (brown outside of petals, and yellow in- 

 side) : grows to the same height (about a foot) as the versicolor, 

 and requires the same management. 



There is a sweet-scented and a few other species, but we have 

 never grown them. We do not know that any attempts have 

 been made to produce new varieties by cross impregnation; but 

 we presume that it might be done, as some of them seed quite 

 freely. 



Anomatheca. — A genus containing only two species; A. 

 juncea and cruenta. They are natives of the Cape of Good 

 Hope, but require a somewhat different treatment from the ge- 

 nera we have spoken of. We have only grown the cruenta; it 

 is a very beautiful little plant, and easily flowered in perfection. 



A. cruenta. — The flowers are of a rich carmine, with a blotch 

 of a deeper color at the base of each of the three lower sepals (or 

 petals) . It throws up a spike to the height of twelve or eighteen 

 inches, on which appear two or three lateral branches, each con- 

 taining from six to ten flowers: several of them are generally 

 open at once, and make a charming display. 



The bulbs may be grown in pots or in the border: The soil, 

 in which they seem to flourish best, should be composed of sandy 

 peat and loam, in the proportion of two thirds of the former 

 to one third of the latter. The bulbs are about the size of an 

 ixia, and three of them may be put into a number two pot. They 

 should })e planted in the month of January or February, just 

 covering them with the compost, and placed under the stage, 

 in the gre^n-house, for a week or two, until they have made a few 



