Haemanthus multiflorus. African blood lily . "Native of Sierra Leone. It was introduced into this country by 1783, and is a very elegant plant flowering at certain seasons. Our bulbs were received in 1822, since which time they have been flowering in succession.". Drawn by T. Boys, engraved by George Cooke. Conrad Loddiges and Sons published an illustrated catalogue of the nursery's plants entitled the Botanical Cabinet. The monthly magazine featured 10 hand-coloured illustrations and ran from 1817 to 1833 to total 2,000 plates. The publication introduced many exquisite camellias from China, exotic orchids and lilies from the New World, and about 100 varieties of heaths from South Africa, which were currently in vogue. (The Victorian era saw a series of manias for flowers - from roses and camellias to heaths, ferns and orchids.). Most of the plates were drawn by the author George Loddiges and local engraver George Cooke (1781~1834). The others were drawn by Loddiges' daughter Jane and