THE FLORIST. 265 



TIGER FLOWERS. 



I read Dr. Maclean's papers on the Tigridia with great pleasure ; 

 and I hope it will encourage that gentleman and others to com- 

 municate information through The Florist, when they learn that I pro- 

 cured some bulbs, and, following his instructions, I have had a very- 

 beautiful display in a small bed I planted them in. Transient as the 

 individual flowers are, the constant succession compensates for this 

 drawback — if drawback it may be called, which I dispute ; for my 

 little collection seems always in bloom. As flowers for bouquets, of 

 course the objection holds good, as they are useless for that purpose. 

 I venture to offer these few observations in answer to the challenge 

 for your readers to make your pages the medium of communication 

 with each other on interesting facts. Mine is indeed a trifle. May 

 it encourage others more able and with better funds of information 

 than I possess ! Avon. 



August 14th, 1849. 



PELARGONIUMS. 



It was presumed when this w r ork was started, that our favourite 

 flower would have occupied many pages, and our own productions have 

 found a field of particular favour. Many significant remarks were 

 made when, on opening the first Number, a plate of Pelargoniums 

 raised at Worton Cottage met the eye ; and the failure of the work 

 was predicted as a thing to be reckoned on with certainty from that 

 moment. But a different complaint now reaches us from several 

 quarters, and we are asked why so little is said on the subject? The 

 truth is, we have done so much, that there is little to say. In the 

 class new and first-rate varieties (we hope we speak it modestly), we 

 have always proved victorious ; and we are now busily preparing for 

 another season ; for fresh triumphs, if we can attain them — perhaps 

 for defeats : if the former, we hope to wear our honours meekly ; if 

 the latter, to bear our humiliation becomingly. At the Seedling 

 Exhibition we took a very poor place indeed ; we expect to be more 

 successful in time to come : we think we shall be so, if some flowers 

 raised this season do not disappoint us ; but all is uncertainty. Hope, 

 that leading star of the florist, however, leads us on ; and we invite 

 any one to see our collection now that we are upon the threshold of 

 the season 1850. Many have been very unsuccessful this year in 

 obtaining seed ; owing, no doubt, to the hot dry weather : for our- 

 selves, we shall perhaps have some 1500 seedlings established by the 

 end of this month. Our bottoms are all well broken, and the young 

 plants doing well ; the seedling bottoms for a second year's growth 

 and proving, and also the cuttings from them, are very good ; Dob- 

 son never had them finer : and the plants which our subscribers will 

 have received before this is in their hands, or rather under their eyes, 



