NOVEMBER. 
249 
in February and March take about twelve weeks. The above is to be ‘’under¬ 
stood from the fruit first showing, and time should always be given them to 
get up strong and bloom freely ; if hurried a sacrifice in strength, beauty, and 
size, with liability to contortions of the crowns, deficiency or smallness of 
pips, irregular swelling, imperfect colouring, &c., are sure to be the result. 
Summer fruit will grow and swell handsomely with little care so that they get 
a sufficiency of water, abundance of air and light, and no shading. They will, 
indeed, grow better out in the open ground, than they will with the treatment 
they sometimes meet with in-doors. 
Bicton. _ James Barnes. 
THE CULTURE OF CAPE BULBS. 
Long neglected, Gladioli have at length become, I may say, universal 
favourites ; they now take their place among the finest of decorative flowering 
plants for the flower garden. Great attention has been given of late years to 
their culture and improvement, and with the best results, as we now have an 
endless variety of most beautiful kinds. Seeing the great progress that has 
been effected with these, only makes it a matter of surprise and regret that 
more attention is not given to the growth of other genera of Cape bulbous 
Iridacese. The delicacy, variety, brilliancy, and distinctness of the flowers of 
many of the genera render them peculiarly attractive. I remember having 
seen some years since a number of beds of these truly beautiful gems in full 
flower in the open grounds in one of our large provincial nurseries. They 
were fully exposed to the sun, and protected from the north by a high wall. 
I had frequent opportunities of seeing them whilst in flower, and the weather 
being fine during the whole of the time, nothing could exceed the brilliancy 
and gorgeousness of the hues. I believe I may safely say I have never since 
seen anything in the flower garden that has pleased me more than that display 
of Cape bulbs. 
Besides the beauty of the flowers, the facility of their culture in pots or in 
tho open ground is an additional recommendation for their growth. The best 
season for planting them is during the autumn months. When grown in the 
open ground, I would advise a south border, sheltered by a wall or hedge from 
the north, for their growth. It should be well drained, as nothing is so very 
injurious to bulbs of any kind as a wet bottom. If the natural soil of the 
border be not suitable for them, the worst part of it should be taken away, 
and some turfy loam, peat, leaf mould, and sand should be well incorporated 
with the best soil of the border. The bulbs should be planted about 6 inches 
deep, and an inch of river sand placed over them before the soil. In case of 
very heavy rains the beds should be covered with lights, if any can be spared 
for this purpose, or with boards for a few weeks; and on the approach of frost 
they should be covered with dry tan, leaves, dry litter, &c., during the winter^ 
always taking care to remove it as soon as fair weather sets in in the spring. 
When grown in pots the same description of soil will suit them, but when 
used it should be sufficiently dry to allow firm pressure. The bulbs being 
small are most effective when planted in patches of five or six in each pot of 
6 inches in diameter. They should be potted as early in the autumn as con¬ 
venient. The pots should be plunged in dry tan or ashes, within a pit or 
frame. The lights may remain off night and day during mild weather, but in 
frost they should be kept on, and should be well covered at night with mats or 
straw. They require little or no water during the winter, nor until they begin 
to grow in the spring. When the plants have made a little growth they 
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