LACHEN ALIAS. 



217 



publications, serials, and illustrated works, such as the invaluable 

 Botanical Magazine. 



From these sources of information it becomes apparent that 

 bulbous plants were formerly much more cultivated than they 

 are at present. No doubt a very good reason for this is that 

 given by Mr. Hemsley, namely, that bulbous plants and succu- 

 lents were more tenacious of life than most other plants, and 

 therefore easier to introduce. As means of transit became better 

 and more expeditious, and experience demonstrated the best 

 mode of treating fragile plants during long voyages, and the best 

 seasons at which to import them, the variety of plants increased 

 enormously, and bulbous plants were largely superseded in 

 gardens. The genus Lachenalia was one of those that suffered. 

 Over forty species have been described, and of these about thirty 

 have, at one time or another, been in cultivation ; but in 1880 

 Mr. Baker estimated that not more than eight species were in 

 cultivation in England. A reference to-day to the lists of trades- 

 men and private growers proves that Lachenalias have regained 

 much of the favour they lost, as at least thirty well-marked 

 species and varieties are now in cultivation, and this number is 

 rapidly being added to. That the genus has much to recommend 

 it cannot be denied. Easily grown, with flowers of great beauty 

 and variety, and with no variation in treatment, lasting in flower 

 from early December to May, such are some of the good 

 qualities of Lachenalias. I do not mean to convey that any 

 individual species remains in flower for four or five months, but 

 that some of the various species are in flower during this time, 

 all the species receiving the same treatment. The first species 

 to come into flower is either Lachenalia pendula or L. quaclri- 

 color maculata, better known in gardens as L. superba. These 

 are succeeded by some of the crosses between L. quadricolor and 

 L. tricolor, or L. Nelsoni ; then comes L. reflexa, and L. aicrea- 

 reflcxa ; then the tricolours, andL. Nelsoni ; then L. orchioides, 

 L. glaucina, L. Cami, and others ; and lastly L. aurca, these 

 being about the best of those now in cultivation. Interspersed 

 amongst them are some of the less showy species. Not only is 

 the genus represented by species in flower during a lengthened 

 period, but some of them remain fully six to eight weeks 

 quite fresh, and the flowers last for a long time when cut. 



Before treating of the cultivation of Lachenalias, it may be well 



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