BULBS FOR SPRING PLANTING 269 



flowers. Zephyranthes Atamasco, a very beautiful 

 plant with large white flowers flushed with pink when 

 they first open, is hardy in very warm places, but 

 should be protected in winter. It is also a marsh 

 plant by nature, but needs the same culture in Eng- 

 land as Zephyranthes Candida. 



The Tigridias are well enough known, but not so 

 much grown as they deserve. It is true their flowers 

 last but a short time, but they are so strangely beauti- 

 ful and borne so frequently that this may be forgiven 

 them. They belong to the Iris family, and in shape 

 are rather like Irises, though the petals which would 

 be "standards" in the Iris are pressed back upon the 

 "falls " or lower petals. Tigridias come from Mexico 

 Tigridia pavonia is the species commonly grown 

 and it is not safe to leave them out all the year in 

 England, though they will often survive mild winters. 

 They should, therefore, be treated like Gladioli, planted 

 out in March, lifted when the leaves die down, and 

 stored for the winter in sand. They like a very sunny 

 position and a rich, well-drained soil. They do miser- 

 ably if they are starved either of food or of sun. In 

 very dry weather they should be well watered. They 

 begin to flower in July and continue, when well treated, 

 for about two months. Most of them are self-coloured 

 on the outer part of their broad lower petals, and 

 strongly spotted in the middle. There is a yellow 

 variety, spotted crimson; a scarlet variety, with darker 

 spots on a yellow ground; a beautiful white variety, 

 with deep pink spots; and a pure white variety. 



