Mary, Brian, this is an interesting subject. Use of Fire/smoke/smoke water has been studied and discussed for a long time. In Australia, you can buy smoke water and other products put out by Kings Park in Western Australia (and others). In South Africa, Kirstenbosch sell smoke pads for use in pots. I have tried both. A few years ago I did some tests with smoke and all of the species of bulbs I grow germinated and flowered quite well without any treatment. A lot of Australian natives are triggered by fire and here at present after a bushfire, some of the tall 'Blackboys' are flowering en masse in the charred bushland. I saw them on TV last night and it a sight to see. It was a magnificnet display and nothing like it has been seen for years. I don't think you need worry about the bulb species we normally grow, unless you have something out of the ordinary. regards, Bill Richardson, Ixia King Spring 3c. to 28C. at present West Gippsland, Victoria, Australia ixia@dcsi.net.au http://www.angelfire.com/ri/ixia/ "Almost any garden, if you see it at just the right moment, can be confused with Paradise" Henry Mitchell > Mary > > You may like to read this. Go down to "There's no smoke without fire". > > > Behalf Of Mary Gutierrez > > Sent: 11 October 2006 5:57 > > I have been reading a lot about South African bulbs, and references > > say that some species bloom better after fire. > > > > I know that a number of other SA plants: restios, proteas, etc., > > require fire for seed to germinate, but is it a similar requirement > > for some of the bulbs? > > >