122 BULBS AND THEIR CULTIVATION. 



house. They yield pretty blue, violet, scarlet, or yellow 

 flowers in late spring, all of which possess a pleasing fra- 

 grance. 



The bulbs should be grown five or more, according to 

 size, in a 5in. pot, in a compost of two parts loam and one 

 part leaf-mould, with plenty of silver sand. Plant the 

 bulbs two inches deep early in November. Store the pots 

 in a cold frame, and cover with cinder ashes or fibre till 

 growth begins. After this remove to the greenhouse, 

 commence to give water, and continue the supply till 

 the leaves fade; then keep dry, and store in a sunny cold 

 frame, repotting in November. Increased by offsets. 

 The kinds to grow are: Disticha, blue; macrantha, yellow 

 and purple; plicata, violet and blue; ringens, scarlet; and 

 stricta, white and lilac. Natives of South Africa. 



Bela.maca.nda. B. chinensis, a native of China, 

 bears orange and black flowers in June, arid grows two feet 

 high. An uncommon bulbous-rooted plant that succeeds 

 under similar treatment to that advised for Ixias. 



Bloomer ia. -- Californian bulbous - rooted plants, 

 flowering in June, and growing about a foot high. The 

 only species worth growing are aurea and Clevlandii, both 

 yellow-flowered. 



Require similar culture to the Alliums, which see. 



Bravoa. B. geminiflora is a pretty Mexican bulbous- 

 rooted plant growing two feet high, and bearing orange- 

 red flowers in July. 



Grow in a compost of two parts sandy loam, one part 

 leaf-mould, and plenty of silver sand. Plant five or more 

 bulbs one inch deep in a Sin. pot in November, and other- 

 wise treat as advised for Babianas. Increased by offsets. 



Brevoortia. B. Ida-Mai, formerly known as Bro- 

 disea coccinea, is a Californian bulbous-rooted plant bear- 



