THE DAHLIA, OR GEORGINA. 285 



Martagon), may occupy the same place. The scarlet 

 Martagon (L. Chalcedonicum) is worthy of more care, 

 as being more beautiful and more tender. It does not 

 relish being disturbed, and it dislikes peat. On the 

 contrary, the splendid Tiger Lily (L. tigrinum), which 

 propagates rapidly by auxiliary bulbs, succeeds best in 

 peaty soil. The same remark applies to the rarer L. 

 canadense and superbum (magnificent species), as well 

 as to L. concolor, Pennsylvanicum, and others, which 

 ought to be more common in our gardens. L. Japoni- 

 cum, longiflorum, and lancifolium, in which the genus 

 attains its greatest magnificence, unfortunately require 

 a finer climate than ours, and some bulbs of these 

 should, therefore, be grown in pots under glass, but 

 others may be risked in a sheltered border. 



The GrladioU or corn-flags are extremely ornamental. 

 The Cardinal Lily (Gladiolus cardinalis) well deserves 

 the name of superb : when seen in flower in masses, the 

 efi'ect is truly brilliant. In order to success, it must be 

 grown in tufts, and the tufts should be left undisturbed 

 for successive years ;" the old skins of the decayed 

 bulbs permitting the wet to drain away, and preventing 

 the earth from lying close and heavy on the new bulbs," 

 as observed by the late eminent Mr. Herbert. A littk 

 litter of any. sort thrown over the bed aS'ords sufficient 

 protection during the winter. 



Omitting Crocus, Fritillaria, and other bulbous ge- 

 nera, which are sometimes treated as florists* flowers, 

 we proceed to one of the prim-e ornaments of the au- 

 tumnal flower garden, the Dalilia, or Georgina, as it 

 is called by some writers. 



The Dahlia (of which there are two principal species 

 D. variabilis and coccinea) is a native of Mexico, from 



