THE BLETIA TAN KERVILLI IE. 
637 
ARTICLE VIII. 
ON THE CULTURE OF THE IXIA TRIBE, 
BY MR. R. STAFFORD, 
Under Gardener at G. B. Strutts, Esq. Belper, near Derby. 
I have sent you a very successful method of flowering the Ixia, 
which has been practised by my father at Willersley for many years. 
In the first week in September take the bulbs out of the paper hags, 
and plant about twelve of the largest in each quart pot (32s.) in a 
mixture of sand and peat, about equal parts covering them about an 
inch deep; then place them in the open air where they are to remain 
until the winter frosts render it advisable to place them in the window 
of a greenhouse, where they should remain until the first week in 
February, at which time place them in the front of a vinery or some 
other house, where they will have about sixty degress of heat, giving 
them a regular supply of water. In May they will be in full blow, 
and may he removed to furnish the flower stand, &c. after which 
place them in the open air, where they should be attended to with 
water so long as there exists in any part of them a disposition to 
generate sap. When the roots appear to be perfectly matured, take 
them out of the pots, clean them, and put them in paper hags, until 
the planting season in September. Few' plants repay us with a pro¬ 
fusion of more brilliant flowers than this tribe of bulbous plants. 
The chief object is the successful culture of bulbs seems to be that 
of keeping them in a perfectly torpid state until the time you wish 
to excite them, at which time and during the whole period of their 
growth they should be kept in as free a growing state as possible. I 
have no doubt but most of the cape bulbs will blow' w r ell under this 
simple mode of treatment. 
R. Stafford. 
Belper, June 13, 1832. 
ARTICLE IX. 
ON THE CULTURE OF THE BL'ETIA TANKERVILLIiE. 
The Bletia Tankervillice flowered for the first time in this country in 
the stove of Mrs. Hird, at Apperley Bridge, near Bradford, York¬ 
shire, to whom it had been sent by Dr. Fothergill, her uncle, in 
1776. It is very easy of culture, and will flow r er freely if potted in 
