TIGRIDIA. 

 The Tigridia, or Mexican Tiger Flower, is one of the most curious and beautiful flowers that 



this earth produces. T. Pavonia is of the richest scarlet, with a center of golden yellow spotted 



with black. T. conchiflora, orange, variegated with yel- 

 low and spotted with black. The flowers are from three 

 to four inches in diameter, and, though short-lived, are pro- 

 duced in succession during the whole season, so that a 

 little bed is never without flowers. The blossoms appear 

 very early in the morning, and in dull weather will be 

 bright nearly all day, but a few hours of sunshine destroy 

 their beauty. The next morning, however, a new lot 

 appear, and the bed is gay as ever. The flower stems are 

 from twelve to eighteen inches in height, the bulbs are 

 small. Plant about the middle of May in this latitude, 

 and take them up in October, dry for a few days in the 

 air, and then pack them away in dry sand or sawdust in 

 any room free from frost, and out of the reach of mice and 



rats, as these animals consider them a great luxury. 



AMARYLLIS VALOTTA PURPUREA. 



This is becoming a very popular plant for summer blooming, and for a pot-plant for the dec- 

 oration of porches, piazzas, etc., there is nothing prettier. It throws 

 up a strong ^rrwer-stem, in August, about eighteen inches in height, bear- 

 ing from fou. to eight brilliant, purplish scarlet flowers, two to three 

 inches in diameter, and as these flowers open in succession, the plant 

 continues in blossom a long time, and therefore makes a very durable as 

 well as beautiful ornament. It flowers most surely and freely in a small 

 pot; indeed, a pot a little more than sufficient to hold the bulb is. -11 

 that is necessary, and this is an advantage, because any of the little orna- 

 mental pots may be employed for this bulb, and they are charmingly in 

 keeping with the neat habit of the plant, and the honorable position it is 

 destined to occupy on the entrance porch, or the verandah in front of the 

 parlor windows. Bulbs may be potted any time in the spring, or even as 

 late as June. After flowering, the bulb may remain in the pot until the 

 following spring, and should be kept pretty cool and not over moist. In 

 May next the bulb will probably need more room, and should be re-pot- 

 ted for flowering. In a year or two a number of bulbs will form, giving several flower stems. 



ERYTHRINA CRISTA-GALLI. 



The Erythrina is a fine, robust plant, with broad leaves and large red flowers, somewhat pea- 

 formed, an inch or so in length, and growing in long racemes, some- 

 times ten or twelve inches in length. There is great substance in the 

 flower, giving it a leathery appearance. The roots are thick and fleshy, 

 but not exactly tuberous, and may be kept in a pit or cellar during the 

 winter. Plants put out in the spring will flower du- 

 ring the summer, and before hard frosts should be 

 taken up, the main branches cut back to within four 

 or five inches of the root, and then stowed away in 

 winter quarters until spring. It is a very fine plant, 

 and those who have never grown it will derive a good 

 deal of pleasure from its culture. It is a native of 

 Brazil, and in the more Southern States and Pacific 

 coast would prove hardy. In giving direction for cul- 

 ture we are apt to furnish those suited to our latitude, 

 forgetting the great extent and diversified climate of our country, though we have endeavored to 

 be particular on this point. Readers, however, are always ready to take advantage of any 

 climatic favors that will save trouble. 



114 



