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JOUENAL OF HORTICULTURB AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ November 16, 1871. 



and now in nine months I have beautifal plants covered with 

 flowers, the corms being nearly an inch in diameter. I have 

 other plants which have been growing two years under cool 

 treatment, and they are not nearly so good. From the packet 

 of seed sown in spring I have several distinct varieties, and 

 very sweet-scented. — Owen Oepet. 



GREENHOUSE PLANTS.— No. 8. 



Lachen.ilia. — A genns of beautiful small-growing plants, 

 with rather long, narrow, fleshy, spotted leaves, and erect 

 flower-stems about 6 inches long, bearing racemes of pretty 

 pendant flowers from March to May. 



Laohenalias are best grown on shelves near the glass, or in 

 other light airy positions. Six-inch pots are quite large enough 

 for a dozen bulbs, and for six or more a 4-inch pot, potting 

 them so that the crowns may be jast covered with soil. The 

 pot should be well drained, and a compost of equal parts of 

 light fibrous loam, sandy peat, and leaf soil, with a sixth part 

 of silver sand, and the same proportion of charcoal, will grow 

 them well. Commencing growth early in winter they should 

 be potted then, or whenever they begin to push, and any de- 

 sired increase may then be secured by dividing the bulbs or 

 removing the offsets. Water as soon as they begin to grow, 

 and continue to keep the soil moist until the leaves turn yellow, 

 then discontinue watering until growth recommences. 



The species are rather numerous, but a dozen of the best 

 are — Lachenalia tricolor, red and yellow ; L. fragrans, white 

 and red; L. orohioides, green and white ; L. pendula, red and 

 greenish yellow ; L. pallida, pale blue ; L. quadricolor, scarlet 

 and yellow ; L. discolor, brown and orange ; L. contaminata, 

 pink ; L. pustulata violacea, bluish purple ; L. reflexa, pale 

 pink ; L. uniflora, white and blue ; and L. rubida, red. When 

 first potted the bulbs should be placed on and surrounded with 

 silver sand. 



AnTHOLTZi MTMiOTiCk MAXIMA, & rather tall but pretty Irid- 

 aceous plant from the Cape of Good Hope, produces its showy 

 orange scarlet flowers in a cool greenhouse from February to 

 April. Surround the bulbs with sand, placing them about an 

 inch deep, and plant half a dozen in a pot, allowing a distance 

 equal to the diameter of the bulbs between every two, and also 

 between them and the sides of the pot. Use the same compost 

 as for Lachenalias. Water freely during the growing period, 

 keep them dry when at rest, and pot when they begin to grow. 

 After May the plants succeed in a warm situation out of doors, 

 but must be placed under glass before frost. 



Blandfoedia Cdnninghami. — This has rather long, linear, 

 channelled leaves, and the flowers are of a deep red, with the 

 ends of the petals yellow ; they are produced in summer about 

 July. 



Blandfokdia aueea. — Leaves narrow, linear, and chan- 

 nelled ; flowers golden yellow, bell-shaped, and drooping, l.J to 

 2 inches in length, and nearly as much in width, borne on a 

 flower-stem 1 to 2 feet in height. 



Both of the above are fine subjects for the greenhouse or 

 conservatory, and succeed admirably in a compost of two parts 

 of sandy peat, one part of light fibrous loam, and one part of 

 leaf mould, the whole chopped up, but used in a rough state, 

 adding one part of sand. Repot when the plants commence 

 making fresh growth, watering freely until growth is completed, 

 and the flowering past, then water less freely, but at no time 

 must the soil be allowed to become very dry. The drainage 

 must be good. Afford a light airy position, the nearer the glass 

 the better, so long as the foliage does not touch it. 



Bravoa geminifloea. — A small bulbous plant, with red 

 flowers in July. Sow about half a dozen bulbs in a 6-inch pot, 

 potting them in October, keeping them just moist over the 

 winter. When they are growing water freely, lessening the 

 supply after flowering, so that they may be rather dry up to 

 October, then repot. Keep the plants near the light, and give 

 abundance of air. The compost named for Lachenalias will 

 suit these plants. 



Chlidanthus EEAGEAN3. — A pretty bulbous plant, producing 

 in June or July yellow, trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers. It 

 grows about a foot high. It should have a compost of two parts 

 light fibrous loam, one part sandy peat, and one part leaf soil, 

 with a free admixture of sand. Pot in March, removing all the 

 soil, but not if it is filled with roots, and remove all the ofiaets, 

 which it puts out very freely. The offsets may be potted and 

 grown for future flowering. They will attain to a flowering 

 state in one or two years. Water freely while the plant is 

 growing, and in winter keep it dry. 



Gasteonema SANGtiisEUM. — A Very pretty Amaryllidaceous 

 plant, attaining a height of about 9 inches. Flowers bright 

 scarlet, produced singly late in spring or early in summer. Let 

 it have a pot twice the diameter of the bulb, potting so that 

 the latter may be covered to the neck, which is rather long, 

 surrounding it with sand. Keep it moderately watered for 

 some time after repotting, which may be done in February ; 

 when the plant is growing freely water copiously, and when 

 a good growth has been made give less water, but do not allow 

 the leaves to flag. The plant should be kept near the glass in 

 an airy position, and with little water until the return of 

 growth early in spring. Soil, sandy loam, fibrous peat, and 

 leaf mould in about equal proportions, with a sixth part of 

 silver sand, and good drainage. Gastronema sanguineuni 

 flammemn is a fine variety, if variety it is, having generally 

 double flower-scapes instead of single. The flowers are of a 

 rosy carmine, but in some plants they are rosy pink. They 

 appear during the early spring months simultaneously with the 

 leaves, which are dark green. It is very pretty. 



Albuca fastigiata elongata has long recurved leaves, tall 

 flower-scapes 3 feet or more in height, bearing a raceme, about 

 a foot in length, of white flowers tipped with green, which, 

 from their long stalks and their waxy texture, are excellent for 

 cutting. It flowers in June or July. Repot in March, re- 

 moving the soil that comes away freely. Use in a rather rough 

 state a compost of two parts sandy peat, and one part sandy 

 loam, draining well. Water very freely whilst the plant is 

 growing, and in winter keep it dry in a light airy position. A 

 pot twice the diameter of the bulb is suiScient. Remove the 

 offsets when repotting. 



Anisanthus splendens. — Gladiolus-like foliage ; flowers 

 bright scarlet, in Jane or July ; height about 2 feet. It re- 

 quires the same treatment as Atholyza. 



Akum ceisitum. — Stem finely marbled ; flowers pale flesh- 

 coloured, broad, and of considerable length, produced in April 

 or May. It is interesting and curious. Repot the plants early 

 in spring, removing all the soil that comes away freely, and 

 water moderately for a time, but freely when growing and 

 flowering. The growth being complete water less freely, and 

 in winter keep them merely moist, and no more. In hot 

 weather they are the better of a slightly shaded position. Light 

 sandy loam, with a little leaf soil, and good drainage, will grow 

 them well. 



Cyetanthus obliqutis. — Flowers deep golden yellow or orange, 

 with green ; very curious ; fine evergreen foliage. The flowers 

 are produced early in summer, generally in June. Soil hazel 

 or yellow loam, fibrous, and used rather rough, adding a third 

 of leaf soil or old cow dung. Give a pot twice the size of the 

 bulb in width, and pot so that the bulb may be covered to the 

 neck, affording good drainage. The best time to repot is after 

 flowering or July, not removing more of the old soil than any 

 loose parts, and not giving a large shift ; pot firmly, and water 

 freely while the plant is growing, but when the growth is com- 

 plete place the plant near the glass, in the full sun, and give 

 no more water than will preserve the leaves in a fresh state, 

 for being an evergreen it must have water in winter, but the 

 less, so long as the leaves do not shrivel, the better. 



Cyrtanthus coocineus has scarlet flowers, C. McKenni has 

 creamy white and slightly fragrant flowers, and is a newly- 

 introduced variety. 



Panceatiuh eotatum. — Fragrant flowers, white, borne on 

 erect stout flower-scapes in clusters of sometimes a dozen. It 

 has the outer segments of the flowers about 3 inches long, and 

 a fannel-shaped crown not unlike a Daffodil or Eucharis. The 

 period of flowering is generally July and August. 



Panoeatium: speoiosum. — This also has white flowers, which 

 are sweet-scented, and appear from April to June or July. 

 Soil and treatment the same as for Cyrtanthus. 



BicHAEDiA (Galea) ^ethiopioa. — An old and very common 

 plant, being an herbaceous perennial, having fine Arum-like 

 foliage, and creamy white spathes. It is an excellent window 

 plant, and thrives amid the smoke and dust of large towns as 

 well as in the purest air, and seems only to require abundance 

 of water when growing, and sun to ripen the growth, or light 

 with dryness will do. I have some fine masses of it pro- 

 ducing magnificent flowers in spring and the early part of 

 summer, and its foliage from September all through the winter 

 resembles that of a fine green-leaved Caladium. 



My mode of treatment is as follows : — After the flowering is 

 past, and the foliage is dying down, water is less plentifully 

 given, and in July the plants are turned out of the pots, the 

 old soil removed, but the roots not much disturbed, and uoDg 



