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CULTURE OF THE ANDROMEDA. 
11. In planting out of doors, always put a small portion of sharp white sand in 
the hole round and underneath the bulb. 
12. As soon as frosty weather commences in the autumn, take up the roots, with 
soil about them, and place them in pots, and set the pots in the house or any 
place where they can remain dry and secure from the cold, until the planting 
season. 
In this genus is the famous poison-bulb, from which is extracted a deadly poison, 
mixed with the composition used by the natives of Southern Africa to cover the 
heads of their arrows. Mr. Burchell says*, “ The plant is of frequent occurrence 
in the more arid districts of Southern Africa, growing both in sandy plains, and 
rocky spots, on the banks of the Bushmen’s River at Rautenback’s Drift. It is also 
found on the great sandy plains of Litaakun. I have been assured by the bush- 
men themselves, that the juice of the bulb is one of the ingredients most commonly 
used in the poisonous composition with which the heads of their arrows are covered. 
The wild antelopes seem carefully to avoid bruising the leaves of this plant, asl 
have observed it always left untouched, although the surrounding herbage has been 
grazed over.” 
CULTURE OF THE ANDROMEDA. 
Linnaeus, in his Tour into Lapland, states his reasons for applying to this plant the 
name of Andromeda (the fabled virgin). “ A. polifolia ,” says he, “ was now (June 
12th) in its highest beauty, decorating the marshy grounds in a most agreeable 
manner. The flowers are quite blood-red before they expand, but when full grown, 
the corolla is of a flesh-colour. Scarcely any painter’s art can so happily imitate 
the beauty of a fine female complexion, still less could any artificial colour upon 
the face itself bear a comparison with this lovely blossom. 
“ As I contemplated it, I could not help thinking of Andromeda as described by 
the poets ; and the more I meditated upon their descriptions, the more applicable 
they seemed to the little plant before me, so that if these writers had had it in view, 
they could scarcely have contrived a more apposite fable. 
“ Andromeda is represented by them as a virgin of most exquisite beauty and 
unrivalled charms, but these charms remain in perfection only so long as she retains 
her virgin purity. The same is also applicable to the plant now preparing to 
celebrate its nuptials. 
Botanical Register, v. 7., fol. 567 . 
