211 

 TIGER FLOWER 



Perhaps there is no flower treated of in this work, that i* 

 more beautiful than some of the species of the geniia 

 Tigridia. Like all Mexican bulbs, these are tender, and 

 should either be cultivated in the greenhouse, or carefully 

 preserved until settled warm weather, and then planted in 

 good light soil, in a sheltered situation. A bed of these 

 beautiful flowers would afford as much gratification to some, 

 amateurs as a bed of Tulips. 



The Tigridia conchiflorais of a rich yellow colour, tinged 

 and spotted with white and crimson ; the colours are very 

 vivid and finely contrasted. The Tigridia pavonia is of 

 the brightest scarlet, tinged and spotted with brilliant yellow. 

 The corolla which is about four inches in diameter, is com- 

 posed of six petals ; the outer petals are thrown backward, 

 and exhibit the blossom in all its splendour, which exists 

 only a single day ; but as if to co.mpensate for its transient 

 visit, each plant will produce numerous flowers; and where 

 a bed of them can be collected, they will amuse their admi- 

 rers for several weeks from July to September. In such a 

 case, the bulbs may be planted about two inches deep ; say 

 nine by fifteen inches apart, towards the end of April 

 or early in May, and taken up again in October, to preserve 

 for planting the ensuing year. 



