GLADIOLUS. 



57 



G. cardinalis. This variety produces very large 

 flowers, of superb scarlet colour, spotted with white. 



G. floribundus, or Cluster Flower, produces large 

 flowers, of pink and white colour. 



The Gladiolus natalensis, or psittacinus, is perhaps 

 the most desirable to cultivate of all others. It blos- 

 soms freely, and the colours are exquisitely beautiful. 

 In its progress of blooming, it exhibits variable colours > 

 as vermilion, red, yellow, green, white, crimson, &c. 

 which brighten, as the flower arrives at perfection, to 

 the brilliancy of a rainbow. Another good quality 

 displays itself in the bulb, which, if properly managed, 

 will yield an abundance of offsets ; these being culti- 

 vated, will flower the third year in perfection, and 

 thus continue to multiply perpetually. 



I have named September and October as the season 

 for planting, because it is considered the preferable 

 season for most bulbs ; but if these be preserved in 

 good condition through the winter, until early in 

 April, and then planted in a soil consisting of about 

 one half fresh loam, equal parts of leaf mould, and 

 sand well mixed, they may be forwarded in a warm 

 room, greenhouse, or moderate hot-bed, until settled 

 warm weather, and then turned out of the pots into 

 a border, where they can be shaded from the sun at 

 noonday ; this will induce each of them to throw up 

 three or four stems from three to four feet high, each 

 stem producing five or six gorgeous blossoms, in great 

 perfection. Those planted in the fall or winter, may 

 also be turned out of the pots in June ; and, from the 



