186 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
of mine with increasing interest. It has expanded, and presents to me a flower 
of the original type of this rich golden-rayed Lily. They appear to be as easy 
of cultivation as a Lily can well be. The large importations of them recently 
received are rapidly reducing the price of the bulbs, and soon it will be within 
the reach of all. Mr. Turner already has some beautiful varieties; already 
there is a greater variety than among L. lancifolium. 
My Gladiolus are now in full bloom, and form a rather imposing background 
even to the bright colours of the bedding stuff. Some bulbs of a variety of 
G. ramosus, called Ne Plus Ultra, a bright scarlet flower with a white throat, 
were the first to bloom. It forms a very fine spike, and is exceedingly gay and 
effective. Brenchleyensis, of which I have a good row, were the next to bloom. 
Some good soil, and the recent rains, have made them very strong indeed ; but 
they have come a kind of salmon scarlet, instead of that intense vermilion 
colour I have often observed in them. It has been said that there are two or* 
three varieties of G. Brenchleyensis, some lighter in colour than the others, 
and possibly mine are of the light-coloured flowers. Still, rarely do I see such 
peculiar brilliancy of colour shown in G. Brenchleyensis as in those flowers 
Messrs. Youell & Co., of Great Yarmouth, are in the habit of sending to the 
London exhibitions, whether it may be attributable to some peculiar conditions 
of soil and climate, or some particular mode of cultivation. 
I have the following varieties of G. Gandavensis now in fine bloom:— 
Madame Souchet, delicate flesh, spotted with deep rose, very fine; Princess 
Clothilde, delicate salmon rose, with large purple stains, a very beautiful flower; 
Oracle, deep bright rose, large, and very fine; Don Juan, bright orange scarlet, 
large and showy ; Canary, pale yellow, striped with rose—with me it has come 
better than I usually have seen it; Endymion, pale rose, slightly tinted with 
purple, the flowers and spike being of large size; Neptune, deep reddish rose, 
striped and spotted with carmine ; Fanny Rouget, rosy flesh colour, with 
carmine stripes; Premice de Mont Rouge, intense fiery scarlet, flowers very 
stout and showy ; Couranti Fulgens, bright crimson ; Madame Haquin, yellowish 
white, tinted with lilac, the lower petals light yellow, striped with rose ; and 
Helene, pale cream white, tinted with lilac, and striped with purple. These 
are all on a warm south border, having the full action of the sun, and have 
been occasionally treated to some liquid manure. 
I often wonder that the beautiful summer-flowering Tritonia aurea is not 
more generally grown for greenhouse and winter decoration. Last spring I 
planted two pots, placing three bulbs in each ; they were some time before 
they commenced to grow, but, when they did, rapidly developed the flower- 
spikes. The blossoms are orange-coloured, and, when expanded, are very 
effective. It is much used at this time of the year for decoration in the great 
conservatory at South Kensington; they are grown in very large pots, and 
produce masses of rich-looking flowers. I marvel that this valuable Cape bulb 
is not as popular as the Gladiolus. 
Two hybrid Tropmolums, of the T. Brilliant section, used for pillar purposes, 
are now extremely gay. They had to run the gauntlet of the hot weather, 
occupying, as they did, a very exposed situation, but passed triumphantly 
through the ordeal; and, now the wet weather has come, they make good 
growth, and still bloom abundantly. The one is Dazzle, a very bright scarlet; 
the other atro-coccinea, deeper in colour. I have also seen them growing in 
vases, where they are also very effective. 
All the bedding stuff, as well as Asters and Stocks, have benefited by the 
rain. A freshness and vigour have been diffused over the whole of the occu¬ 
pants of my garden—>> ature has retouched her pictures with a vividness and a 
reality that yet baffles the highest endeavours of Art; and leafy tree, and shrub, 
