GLADIOLUS, CORN FLAG, OR SWORD LILY. 83 



various colours, in August and September, and are well 

 worthy the attention of those who cultivate tender exotic 

 plants. They may be planted in September or October, 

 about an inch deep in pots, which must be kept in a green- 

 house or light room, and watered sparingly until they begin 

 to grow. The following are known to be superb species 

 and varieties : 



G. alatus, or Wing-Flowered, producing bright orange 

 coloured flowers. 



G. blandus produces flowers of a beautiful blush rose 

 colour. 



G. Byzantium, or Turkish Flag, has large delicate 

 purple flowers. 



G. cardinalis. This variety produces very large flowers 

 of superb scarlet, spotted with white. 



G. floriburidus, or cluster flower, produces large flowers, 

 of white and pink colour. 



The Gladiolus Natalensis, or Psitacinna, is perhaps the 

 most desirable to cultivate of all others. It blossoms freely, 

 and the colours arc exquisitely beautiful. In its progress of 

 blooming, it exhibits variable colours, as vermilion, red, 

 yellow, green, white, crimson, &c, which brighten, as 

 the flower arrives at perfection, to the brilliancy of a rain- 

 bow. Another good quality displays itself in the bulb, 

 which, if properly managed, will yield an abundaiace of 

 offsets ; these being cultivated, will flower the third year in 

 perfection, and thus continue to multiply perpetually. 



I have named September and October as the season for 

 planting, because it is considered the preferable season for 

 most bulbs ; but if these be preserved in good condition 

 through the Winter until early in April, and then planted in 

 a soil consisting of about one half fresh loam, equal parts 

 of leaf mould, and sand well mixed, they may be forwarded 

 in a warm room, green-house, or moderate hot-bed, until 

 settled warm weather, and then turned out of the pots into 

 a border, where they can be shaded from the sun at 



