IXIA 



THE BULB BOOK 



IXIA 



except in the very mildest parts of 

 the British Islands. If given protec- 

 tion, however, in severe winters with 

 a little straw, bracken, or litter, the 

 bulbs may be planted on warm, 

 sunny, and sheltered borders in many 

 parts, any time between October or 

 November and January, the bulbs 

 being buried about 3 ins. below the 

 surface of the soil. This should con- 

 sist of loam, peat or leaf-soil, and 

 coarse sand in about equal propor- 

 tions, and the drainage should be 

 perfect, as anything like wet heavy 

 soil is almost sure to be fatal to the 

 plants. During growth in spring, the 

 soil may be freshened up with a 

 hand-fork, to prevent it getting caked, 

 and also cause the moisture to rise to 

 the roots. After the flowers are over, 

 and the leaves have withered, the 

 bulbs should be kept dry and in a 

 resting condition until growth starts 

 again. In bleak localities it will be 

 found safer to grow the bulbs in pots 

 or pans, protecting them in a cold 

 frame, and when root action and 

 growth are established, the plants 

 may be gently forced into blossom in 

 a greenhouse, early in the year. In a 

 cut state with long stems, there are 

 few spring flowers to rival the peculiar 

 charm and elegance of the Ixias, of 

 which there are now many garden 

 varieties. 



Ixias are best increased by ofisets, 

 which are detached at the time of re- 

 planting, and these will flower the 

 second year ; or by seeds sown in 

 sandy soil in spring in a warm green- 

 house. The seedlings should be 

 grown on for a year or two before 

 planting out, or distributing too much. 



There are about two dozen species 

 known, but the following is a good 

 selection. They grow 12 to 18 ins. 

 high : — 



I. aristata. — Whitish, pink {Bot. 

 Mag. t. 589). 



{Bot 

 pink 



t. 



I. capillaris. — Fleshy or lUac {Bot. 

 Mag. tt. 570, 617, 1013). 



I. flexuosa. — Pink or lilac 

 Mag. t. 624). 



I. hybrlda. — White, tinted 

 {Bot. Mag. t. 128). 



I. linearis. — Lilac {Bot. 

 570). 



I. lutea. — Bright yellow {Bot. Mag. 

 t. 646). 



I. maculata. — Orange yellow, 

 blotched in the throat {Bot. Mag. t. 

 539 ; Red. Lil. t. 138). The variety 

 ochroleicca has creamy -yellow flowers 

 with a broad brown band in the 

 centre {Bot. Mag. 1. 1285) ; and nigro- 

 alhida has pure white flowers with a 

 blackish centre. 



320 



I. monadelpha. — ^A variable species, 

 having lilac flowers with a blue or 

 greenish centre, and having the fila- 

 ments of the stamens united into a 

 tube {Bot. Mag. t. 607). 



I. odorata. — Yellow, sweet-scented 

 {Bot. Mag. 1. 1173). 



