52 



CASSELL'S POPULAR GARDENING. 



It is, therefore, different from any other bulbous 

 plant in respect of colour, and the fact that it con- 

 tinues in flower for several weeks greatly increases 

 its value as an ornamental plant. It flowers during 

 July and August. Being a native of Mexico it is 

 not hardy in this country, therefore must have the 

 protection of a frame or cool green-house, or any place 

 where it would be protected, but it dislikes artificial 

 heat, though an abundance of sun-heat is necessary 

 to enable it to ripen its bulbs. The best way to grow 

 it is to pot the bulbs in March, plunge the pot in 

 ashes in a frame protected by a light, and there 

 allow it to remain until it has flowered and perfected 

 its growth, when the bulbs, in pots, may be stored in 

 some dry place during winter. It may be grown 

 successfully on a green-house shelf, the conditions 

 to observe being plenty of light and sunshine and 

 air, and a good supply of water when in full growth. 



Bloomeria aurea. — A pretty Californian bulb 

 of slender growth, the stems being from six inches 

 to eighteen inches high, bearing an umbelled cluster 

 of small golden -yellow flowers on slender stalks. It 

 is not a common plant, but is enumerated in nursery 

 catalogues. It may be grown successfully in a warm 

 sunny border of light soil, but it is best to lift the 

 bulbs annually in autumn, and keep them in dry soil 

 or sand till early spring. 



Bobartia aurantiaca. — A pretty plant of the 

 Iris family, a native of the Cape of Good Hope. It 

 grows about a foot high, has narrow foliage, and pro- 

 duces on its . slender stems a succession of star-like 

 orange-yellow flowers. Being somewhat tender it 

 requires the same treatment recommended for Ixias 

 and bulbs of that class. In southern districts, if 

 planted on rockwork and protected in winter, it has 

 proved tolerably hardy, but it is best when grown in 

 pots or frames. 



Bowiea volubilis. — Although an interesting 

 Cape bulb this is by no means attractive, the flowers 

 being very green and inconspicuous ; but being 

 almost hardy and of a climbing habit of growth, many 

 may like to grow it against a wall. Planted at the 

 foot of a few dead branches against a wall, so that 

 the stems may twine among them, this plant forms a 

 peculiarly interesting object in a garden. 



Bravoa geminifLora (Scarlet Twin-Flower). — 

 An extremely pretty Mexican plant, graceful in 

 growth and bright in colour. When well grown, 

 the flower- stems are between two feet and three feet 

 high, and are stout enough to carry themselves 

 erect. All along their upper parts they are thickly 

 hung with scarlet tubular flowers, which are arranged 



in pairs and prettily droop. In warm and sheltered 

 localities the Bravoa is hardy if planted in light and 

 well-drained soils, but it is advisable to protect the 

 bulbs by ashes or leaves during the winter. Even in 

 places where it is not hardy it is worth growing in 

 pots for the green-house, as it flowers in autumn and 

 lasts a long time in bloom. A group of Bravoas in 

 flower in the open air, forms one of the prettiest 

 sights possible in the autumn garden. 



Brevoortia coccinea. — Another name for 

 Brodicea coccinea, chiefly used by American botanists. 

 B. Ida-Maia is also a synonym for it. 



Brodiaea. — The Brodiceas, together with their 

 near allies the Millas and Triteleias, are pretty Cali- 

 fornian bulbs, and most desirable to cultivate, as 

 they possess a beauty peculiar to themselves. For 

 the most part, the Brodiceas are quite hardy in this 

 country, provided we endeavour to imitate, as far as 

 practicable, the warm sandy plains of- their native 

 land. This we can do in a great measure by select- 

 ing the sunniest and driest spots in the garden, and 

 for that matter we can protect them by glass frames ; 

 indeed, in some localities this is essential in order to 

 be at all successful with them. As a general rule, 

 however, the Brodiceas may be said to be hardy peren- 

 nials, springing up year after year, and requiring no 

 attention beyond that of keeping them within bounds 

 — for some, such for instance as B. congesta, are much 

 given to rambling, and seeds and offshoots spring up 

 around the parent bulbs in all directions, in light 

 warm soil, where they have found a congenial home. 

 The following species are usually known in gardens 

 as Brodiceas, but some of the species of Mill a and the 

 genera Triteleia and Seubertia are often classed with 

 Brodicea. 



B. coccinea. — One of the prettiest and most elegant 

 of hardy bulbs, and, moreover, quite different from 

 all others. Like all the species, it is of slender 

 growth, the leaves being about two feet long when 

 well grown, and the flower-stems grow from two to 

 four feet in height. The blossoms are borne in droop- 

 ing clusters^ of from eight to twenty on a stem. They 

 are tubular, about two inches long, of a deep crim- 

 son colour tipped with green — a striking contrast of 

 colours. It commences to flower about the end of 

 May, and continues for some weeks. This is a most 

 manageable bulb, not being at all fastidious as to soil 

 so long as it is not heavy. It thrives best in a warm 

 sandy loam in a sunny position. It is seen to the 

 best advantage after it has been established some 

 years, it being one of those bulbs which dislike fre- 

 quent re-planting. When the bulbs show signs of 

 weakness through exhaustion of the soil or other 

 cause, they should be transplanted to richer soil, and 



