ON THE CULTIVATION OF ALFINE PLANTS. 
19 
Gladiolus communis (the common Corn- 
flag). — Native of the South of Europe. The 
leaves ax - e long, sword-shaped ; the flowers 
large, and funnel-formed, of a rosy-purple 
tint, with a light feather. Flowers in June ; 
two feet high. There are varieties both with 
white and flesh-coloured flowers. 
Gladiolus floribundus (the many-flow- 
ered Corn-flag). — Native of the Cape. The 
leaves are large, broad, sword-shaped ; the 
flowers very large, spreading ; the usual tint 
flesh colour, with a lively red bar on each 
petal ; the stems bear flowers a good way 
down. Flowers in May ; two feet high. 
Gladiolus GANDivENSis(the Ghent Corn- 
flag). — A Belgian hybrid, called there the 
" Glory of Ghent." The leaves are strong 
and broad ; the habit and general appearance 
much in the way of G. psittacinus, but larger; 
the flowers are bright orange or flame colour, 
beautifully mottled with yellow. Flowers in 
July and August ; three to four feet high. 
Gladiolus insignis (the remarkable Corn- 
flag). — A hybrid. The leaves are long, ra- 
ther narrow ; the flowers large* crimson, with 
a dash of bluish purple on the segments, 
borne chiefly on the upper side of a bending 
stem, as in G. cardinalis. Flowers in July 
and August ; three feet high. 
Gladiolus Millerii (Miller's Corn-flag). 
— Native of the Cape. The leaves are broad, 
sword-shaped ; the flowers large, spreading, 
white changing to sulphur, with purple streaks 
on the lower petals. Flowers in April ; one 
foot and a half high. 
Gladiolus Mortonius (Morton's Corn- 
flag). — Native of South Africa. The leaves are 
broad ; the flowers dingy rose-coloured. One 
foot and a half high. 
Gladiolus psittacinus (the parrot-like 
Corn-flag). — Native of the country bordering 
on the Natal river, whence it is also called G. 
natalensis. The whole plant is large; the leaves 
broad, sword-like ; the flowers large, rather 
arched, something like a parrot's head, scarlet 
and yellow, prettily mottled. Flowers in 
August ; it grows three or four feet high, 
bearing a long spike of flowers. 
Gladiolus pudibundus (the blush-flowered 
Corn-flag). — An English hybrid. The leaves 
broadly sword- shaped ; the flowers large and 
spreading, blush-coloured, on a long spike, 
arranged in two rows. Flowers in July and 
August ; two to three feet high. 
Gladiolus ramosus (the branching Corn- 
flag). — Probably a native of the Cape. The 
leaves are broad ; the flowers large, and 
spreading, light rosy-pink, produced on a 
branching stem. Flowers in July ; four feet 
- high. 
Gladiolus segetum (the rough-seeded 
Corn-flag). — Native of the South of Europe, 
and allied to G. communis. The leaves are Long, 
sword-shaped ; the flowers large, lilac purple, 
with a pale feather, and borne irl a long spike. 
Flowers in July ; two feet high. 
Gladiolus undulatus (the waved-leaved 
Corn-flag). — Native of the Cape. The leaves 
are lanceolate ; the flowers large, spreading, 
without scent. Flowers in May ; one loot to 
one foot and a half high. There are three 
varieties ; two with pink flowers, and one 
with yellowish or cream-coloured ones. 
The following are hybrids, in general culti- 
vation : — 
G. atroroseus, deep red, with pale feather; 
one foot and a half high. 
G. Dobrei, rosy lilac, with citron-coloured 
feather; one foot and a half high. 
G. expansa, large, red, with crimson fea- 
ther ; two feet high. 
G. Herbertii, rosy crimson, deeper coloured 
feather ; one foot and a half high. 
G. Herbertii pallens, delicate rosecolour, 
with white feather ; one foot and a half high, 
G. patens, blush, with rose leather ; one 
foot and a half high. 
The florists' varieties already in existence 
are very numerous, seedlings being imported 
annually, both from Guernsey and the conti- 
nent, by the hundred. 
ON THE CULTIVATION OF ALPINE 
PLANTS.* 
The term alpine, taken in its widest sense, 
as applied to a class of plants, implies not only 
those small interesting objects which are 
found in elevated situations, but all the diminu- 
tive perennial plants found in any situation 
whatever, not being naturally aquatics. This 
tribe of plants has, of recent years, been very 
much neglected, owing, I apprehend, to their 
habits in general, and the materials most con- 
genial to their growth, not being properly 
understood by gardeners ; indeed, there are 
but few persons who seem disposed to make 
sufficient inquiry into their habits or character 
to enable them to grow them successfully. It 
is a very general, though certainly a most 
mistaken, notion, that, because many of them 
grow on the summits of mountains, and in 
other very exposed situations, they are capable 
of enduring an intense degree of cold, and are 
therefore left unprotected during the winter ; 
but, from this cause, many of them perish— a 
conclusion which might easily be arrived at, 
were we to take into consideration our \ery 
variable climate, and the consequent fluctu- 
ation of heat and cold, humidity and moisture, 
to which these plants are subjected in this 
* From a paper by Mr. C. Moore, read at a meeting 
of the Regent's Park Gardeners' Society. 
