THE GLADIOLUS. 185 



Gladiolus floribundus, or oppositiflorus^ is a native of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, and was introduced to English gardens 

 about the year 1788. It is a well-known species, of easiest 

 culture, and will, even in New England, sometimes survive 

 the winter in the open ground. The best mode is to take 

 up the bulbs, which are small, soon after the frost has 

 killed the leaves, and preserve them in a cool, dry cellar, 

 free from frost, until spring. The flowers are produced 

 abundantly on opposite sides of the stem (whence the 

 names), and are of a whitish pink, with purple or lake 

 markings. 



Gladiolus Natalensis, or psittacinus, was introduced in 

 1829. It is a plant of sturdy habit, flowers scarlet and 

 yellow, mottled ; too well known to need particular descrip- 

 tion. Although a native of the hot region of Port Natal, it 

 js often found hardy ; and in England, and some sections of 

 our country, is perfectly so ; the bulb requiring only to be 

 surrounded by sand to prevent its rotting in the winter. 



While G.floribundus is still commonly cultivated, G. Na- 

 talemis, having been long since surpassed in habit and 

 color by hundreds of hybrids, is entirely neglected, and is 

 rarely met with ; and few indeed would imagine that the 

 introduction of this now-despised species threw the whole 



