128 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t February ie, im. 
it with a piece of glass, which should be removed every morning 
and the moisture wiped oil. As soon as the plants appear the glass 
must be removed more frequently, and when strong enough they 
must be placed on a shelf near the glass, but still in heat. 
There they will soon grow large enough to be pricked off into 
pots or pans of moderately fine sandy peaty soil. After a time 
each plant will require potting singly, when they may be placed 
on a stage near the glass with cocoa-nut fibre refuse or ashes 
under them. They must have every attention as to watering and 
shading from strong sunlight, and the foliage must not be syringed. 
They must not be overpotted, because this plant is not entirely 
dependant upon the soil, for the atmospheric treatment has much 
to do with success in its cultivation. They will flower in the 
early autumn months, and by making another sowing of seed at a 
reasonable time plants may be had in flower to follow on in the 
winter months, to be succeeded by the corms that have been rest¬ 
ing, so that this plant may be had in bloom for more than half 
the year. I have them just coming into flower.— Credenda. 
THE SECKLE PEAR. 
Your excellent correspondent, “ Wiltshire Rector,” has 
raised the question as to the merits or demerits of this Pear. I 
do not pretend to be an expert, but I raise a side issue, and would 
like to say something for a Pear with a century’s culture for a 
recommendation. In vegetable as well as animal physiology 
there is much to be urged in favour of the doctrine of “ the sur¬ 
vival of the fittest,” and I hold that a Pear that is grown still 
after being in favour a hundred years, is worth attention. The 
following is the character given the “ Seckle,” then called “ The 
Red-cheeked Syckle,” by Hosack, in a lecture before the New 
York Horticultural Society in 1819, and it had then been some 
time in cultivation—‘‘The flesh is melting, juicy, and most ex¬ 
quisitely and delicately flavoured. The time of ripening is from 
the end of August to the middle of October.” He then alludes 
to the character of the tree—“ It is singularly vigorous and 
beautiful, of great regularity of growth and richness of foliage, 
very hardy, and possessing all the characteristics of a new 
variety.” Sir Joseph Paxton, after quoting the above authority, 
adds his experience, to which it would be interesting to know if 
growers of the present day agree with—“ Subsequent experience 
in this country has amply confirmed the American accounts. 
It is found to exceed in excellence of flavour the very richest 
of our autumnal Pears, possessing a high vinous aroma, which 
can scarcely be compared to anything in fruits, unless a con¬ 
centration of the taste peculiar to the Swan’s Egg.” He then 
sums up the great fault of the variety, that “ it only remains in 
perfection, when ripe, for a very few days, speedily decaying 
after being gathered.” The period of ripening under ordinary 
circumstances then was the end of October. In this locality it 
was foolishly removed in many cases, I understand, to make way 
for some new but less desirable variety.—W. J. M., Clonmel. 
CHOICE IRIDS. 
BABIANA. 
In brilliancy of colours few of the many richly-tinted Irids surpass 
the leading species and varieties of Babiana, though these do not 
piesent the diversity of floral form which distinguishes a large 
proportion of their allies. The flowers are regular and symmetrical, 
with six ovate divisions, sometimes with a tube of varying length, 
occasionally fragrant, and, with the exception of a few obscure species, 
they are remarkable for their rich self colours, or the striking con¬ 
trast of very distinct hues in the same flower. In habit the plants 
resemble most other Cape bulbous Irids, having stems 6 to 9 inches 
high arising from a small bulb-like corm, bearing tapering leaves, 
whieh are what botanists term plaited—that is, they appear as they 
have been folded laterally, so that they have, as it were, a ridge or 
furrow surface. 'I hey are usually covered more or less densely with 
long hairs, which in one or two species give a specific distinction to 
the plant. The flowers are produced in raceme-like s-apes, each 
bearing half a dozen or more, several of which are expanded at the 
same time, so that the plants are far from having the weedy appear¬ 
ance characteri.-ing some natives of the Cape that have obtained a 
place in our houses and gardens, considerably to the discredit of many 
really handsome p'ants now either lost to cultivators or greatly 
neglected. Perhaps Babianas can hardly be included amongst 
neglected plants, for few gardeners arc unacquainted with at least 
one or two of their varieties; and in some establishments where cool- 
house plants receive a portion of the attention they so well merit they 
rank amongst the most esteemed favourites, together with the Ixias, 
’SYatsonias, Sparaxis, and others of similar habit. 
One very great point in their favour is the readiness with which 
they flower and their few cultural requirements—such, indeed, that 
any ama'eur can grow them even though he does not possess that 
general plant repository in small gardens, a greenhouse. This, 
however, applies chiefly to those who reside in the favoured south or 
sheltered districts within a hundred miles north of the metropolis; for 
though even farther north than that they may under very favourable 
circumstances be grown satisfactorily outside, house culture is much 
to be preferred where practicable. They will not withstand uninjured 
a temperature much below freezing point, and in all situations their 
chief enemy is excessive moisture in the soil, either from want of 
adequate drainage in the borders, the position being low, or the soil 
heavy and retentive of moisture. The natural habitat of Babianas 
in the neighbourhood of Cape Town is a good indication of their 
requirements. They are found in the dry sandy plains where the 
soil is loose, and at the time of the dry season quite dust-like. There 
they experience the heavy rains of the growing season and the parching 
drought of the season of rest, and though, like all conditions, these 
require modifying under cultivation, yet there are two well marked 
periods in each year of the plant’s existence, and some approach to 
these is needed to insure success. Another fact deserves attention, 
and it has some reference to previous remarks concerning the hardi¬ 
ness of the Babianas—namely, they are not found at such high eleva¬ 
tions as some of their allies, and on this account are more readily 
injured by frost, needing careful protection in the open ground. 
When it is desired to grow these beautiful Irids out of doors a posi¬ 
tion for the border should be carefully selected, taking into considera¬ 
tion the hints already given. It is well to devote a small border to 
all such rather delicate forms, which, if the subsoil is naturally porous, 
will require no attention in draining, and in few gardens perhaps 
would this be troubled about. It need not, however, be very elabo¬ 
rately done, as the plants are not of deep-rooting habit, and if the 
surface soil is moderately light to the depth of about a foot, the position 
being sheltered and not too damp, little difficulty will be experienced 
in obtaining fairly satisfactory resul's. Avoid the evil of planting too 
deeply; 6 inches below the surface is ample, and in the case of small 
corms even less than that will be sufficient, though they may need 
replanting in the course of a year or two. Indeed, this replanting is 
desirable annually, so as to remove the offsets, which weaken the 
parent corm when allowed to remain in clumps, l’lanting may be 
dene in favourable weather during the present month in the case of 
purchased corms or those in the ground which have not started yet, 
or in autumn when the growth and leaves have been thoroughly 
matured. As winter approaches a mulching is necessary to protect 
the corms from frost, cocoa-nut fibre refuse being the most suitable 
material, placing it on to the depth of 5 or 6 inches before severe 
weather is experienced. A little well-decayed manure can be incor¬ 
porated with the soil, but it must be employed sparingly, and perhc.ps 
an occasional supply of weak liquid manure when the plants are 
growing is preferable. When they cannot be safely allowed to remain 
in the border during winter take up the conns in late autumn when 
the leaves have died, and either place them in pots or store them in 
sand in a dry and cool position under cover. 
For my own part I prefer the Babianas in pots; there is less danger 
of loss, and with sufficient stock and a little careful management the 
flowering season can be considerably prolonged. A light sandy com¬ 
post is required, with a small proportion of well-decayed manure, and, 
as in the case of all such plants, efficient drainage is essential. Pots 
of moderate size are preferable—namely, 60’s or 48’s, placing two or 
three corms in the former and four or five in the latter, according to 
the size and strength of the plants and the habit of the particular 
varieties or species. As the young shoots appear above the soil water 
must be carefully supplied, but when they are more advanced the 
supplies must be liberally increased, still further aiding the progress 
of the plants by applications of very weak liquid manure once or 
twice a week. This treatment may be continued until the flowers 
have faded, when a gradual reduction in the supply of water will be 
needed to induce a thorough maturation of the corms ; but at the 
same time the leaves must be a lowed to die naturally, as the longer 
they are retained the stronger will the plants be the following year. 
It also assists the offsets considerabIy, and if it is desired to increase 
the stock this is an important matter. Though the plants require a 
light position during growth some slight shade is necessary when the 
flowers are expanding, or they soon become exhausted if exposed to 
the sun ; subsequent to the flowering, however, a sunny position is a 
great advantage. In commencing repottmg first moisten the old dry 
soil thoroughly, then clean the corms carefully, separating the offsets, 
and pot in a compost as already recommended. A few potfuls, how¬ 
ever, may he top-dressed without turning the plants out, removing a 
little of the surface soil, and giving a dressing of light fresh compost 
containing a small proportion of manure. By adopting this practice 
a few specimens can he obtained with a greater abundance of foliage 
than the majority of those separated in potting, but the flowers are 
not quite to fine as a rule. 
