162 
ON THE CULTURE OF CAPE BULBOUS I RID ACEH! 
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litter. I remember having seen some year’s since, several beds of these truly delightful genera in full 
flower in the open garden : they were protected from the north by a wall, behind which grew a row of 
trees. Since then I have seen many hundreds of flower-gardens in different parts of the country, and 
I may perhaps be thought singular in my opinion, when I declare that I have never witnessed any¬ 
thing to equal the beauty and grandeur of that display of Cape bulbs. I have seen flower-gardens 
perfectly dazzling with colours—with scarlets, yellows, and blues of every shade ; but in beauty how 
much do they yield to many charming kinds of Gladiolus, Ixia, Sparaxis, Tritonia, Watsonia, Babiana, 
and Anomatheca, the delicacy, variety, brilliancy, and distinctness of whose flowers render them so 
peculiarly attractive. There is only one drawback to their extensive cultivation : and that is, they do 
not remain long in flower. On this account they will never occupy a prominent position in flower- 
gardens. But there are very few places, however limited, in which a border of some kind, might not 
be devoted to their growth. I know no plants that I would sooner give up a south border to, than 
these Cape bulbs. 
When they are grown in the open ground, I would recommend a south border, sheltered by a wall 
on the north side. It should be well drained, as nothing is so very prejudicial to bulbs of any kind 
as a wet bottom. The soil should be turfy loam, peat or leaf-mould, and a little sand. The bulbs 
should be planted about six inches deep, and this may be done any time in October. The surface of 
the soil should be covered with a few inches in thickness of tan or dry litter during the winter, always 
removing it as soon as fair weather sets in in the spring. 
When grown in pots, the same description of soil will suit them. They should be potted hi October, 
and placed in a cold frame or pit, and protected from the frost. They will require little or no water 
dining the winter, nor until they begin to grow in spring. When they have made a little growth, 
they should either be planted out in a warm south border, or be placed on the shelves of a greenhouse, 
or in any other situation where they will have plenty- of light and air. They should be regularly 
attended to in watering, and in due time they will reward the cultivator with the charming variety, 
beauty, and splendour, of their delightful flowers. The bulbs, whether in doors, or out, should be kept 
in a growing state, until the foliage naturally shows symptoms of maturity. Water must then be 
gradually withheld from them. When in a state of rest they should be kept quite dry, until the 
season of their growth comes round. 
Some attention has been paid of late to the genus Gladiolus, and the result has been, that we now 
have some splendid kinds in cultivation. I wish I could say the same of each of the other genera I 
have enumerated, for I feel assured they would amply repay any labour or pains bestowed upon them 
improvement. 
The following list [which we have ventured to extend somewhat beyond Mr. Saul’s IMS.] contains 
some of the most distinct and showy kinds of the different genera of Cape bulbous Iridacese : a few of 
them are probably lost to the country ; but their beauty renders their re-introduction—a matter of little 
difficulty—highly desirable :— 
Anomatheca :— 
insignis. 
H O 
MoiLXA :— 
Tritonia :— 
cruenta. 
naraaquensis. 
ciliata. 
aurea. 
Babiana •— 
pudibundus. 
edulis. 
crocata. • 
pulcherrhnus. 
ramosa. 
deusta. 
angustifolia. 
ramosus. 
Spalanthus :— 
fenestrata. 
disticha. 
recurvus. 
fucata. 
purpurea. 
speciosus. 
lineata. 
\ ringens. 
rubro-cyanea. 
sulphurea. 
Thunbergii. 
villosa. 
Gladiolus :— 
blandus. 
Brencbleyanus. 
IxiA :— 
aristata. 
aulica. 
capitata. 
conica. 
crateroides. 
erecta. 
lilacina. 
maculata. 
Sparaxis :— 
bicolor, 
fragrans. 
gran diflora. 
„ striata, 
stellaris. 
tricolor, 
versicolor. 
squalida. 
Viesseuxia :— 
glaucopis. 
Pavonia. 
villosa. 
Watsonia :— 
aletroides. 
angusta. 
carclinalis. 
monadelpha. 
Streptanthus :— 
brevifolia. 
carneus. 
odorata. 
elegans. 
fulgida. 
fioribundus. 
patens. 
' 
marginata. 
formosissimus. 
Trichonema :— 
Meriana. 
Gandavensis. 
Lapeyrousia :— 
roseurn. 
roseo-alba. A) 
imperialis. 
corymbosa. 
speciosum. 
spicata. fab 
