220 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 4, 18S4. 
influence growing fruits only through the act of rendering the tree or 
Vine vigorous and healthy, and when we further consider how much 
potash is required to maintain a normal condition in large fruit trees 
which are constantly under the pruning saw and knife, we obtain some 
correct views of the importance of this agent in soils. Both the fruit of 
the Vine, and the Vine itself, are great consumers of potash. The same 
may be said of most of our small or soft fruits. 
It is not usually advisable to attempt to reclaim and render produc¬ 
tive a worn-out Grape border, but if any satisfactory success is attain¬ 
able it is only through a plentiful supply of good wood ashes and hone 
meal. 
Twenty years ago I discovered that it was best, in preparing borders 
for cold Grape houses, to use plenty of wood ashes, and to place the fer¬ 
tilising materials in successive thin layers, rather than in the usual form 
of a mixed heap. I have one border prepared in this way which is made 
up of sixty alternating strata of different fertilising substances, and they 
have remained undisturbed for twenty years. The fruit joroduct from this 
border has been uniformly excellent in quantity and quality from year to 
year, and renewal has not been necessary. 
My view is, that the subterranean feeders of the Vine will follow what 
may be designated as vegetable instinct in procuring food, going no further 
for it than is necessary. If we place phosphoric acid, lime, potash, and 
nitrogenous salts in distinct layers, each resting ujmn one of good soil, we 
place our Vine roots, as it were, at a table spread with many dishes, and 
unerring instinct will guide in selecting what is needed to keep the Vine 
and fruit in the best possible condition. 
The saccharine qualities of the Black Hamburgh and Frontignan 
varieties are greatly improved by having at hand plentiful supplies of 
potash. The wood ashes are the best possible source for this alkali. The 
German chlorides are next to he preferred, but they do not in vineyards 
meet the desirable results supplied by ashes. 
The ordinary German kainit, as found in commerce, I class among 
the poisons in the list of assumed vegetable foods. I have never 
failed to observe injurious results in the use of these salts on my 
farm. Common salt is not a manure, and we may as well so decide 
once for all. 
After an experience of nearly a quarter of a century in conducting an 
experimental farm, I have reached the oonclusion that the growth of our 
fruits and most of our cereal crops is best promoted by the use of a 
fertilising mixture made up of finely ground fresh bones and good wood 
ashes. This mixture I arranged and recommended twenty years ago, and 
I find after persistent soil experiments, extending over many years, that 
I am using it more freely than ever. 
My method of preparing it is to take six barrels of pure raw hone flour 
and twelve of good wood ashes, and mix them well together upon a shed 
floor, adding, during the mixing, twenty buckets of water and one barrel 
of gypsum or plaster. This mixture maybe allowed to stand a few weeks, 
or it may be used at once if needed. If permitted to stand long it heats 
from chemical action, and the freed ammonia is in part fixed as a sulphate 
by the plaster, but not all of it. 
For fruits of every kind I know of no better fertilising material, and as 
it supplies every needed element of nutrition, its effects are remarkably 
persistent and immediate.—Da. James R. Nichols (in Transactions of 
Massachusetts Horticultural Society). 
NOTES ON TICIRIDIAS. 
We frequently see the assertion that cultivators are too apt 
to multiply species and varieties indefinitely, and to recognise 
distinctions that would be ignored by the systematic botanist. 
This is no doubt in many cases true, but in the present instance 
exactly the revei-se occurs, and plants which are not only classed 
by the best authority in different genera, but even in separate 
divisions of the order, are brought together by gardeners and 
spoken of collectively as Tigiudias, or familiarly, Tiger Flowers. 
The writer has adopted the generic characters given by Mr. 
J. G. Baker in his “ Systema Iridacearnm,” as being the best 
authority on the subject, but only a few of the species there 
enumerated are dealt with, the majority being non-existent in 
this country. Eleven species and varieties are in cultivation, 
however, seven of them being undoubtedly Tigridias, three 
belongiug to various other genera, and the remaining one, 
although offered by various nurserymen, has never been seen 
by the writer. The culture of these plants in the open ground is 
of the simplest nature, as they require only ordinary garden soil. 
If enriched by a little well-decayed manure so much the better, 
but I am of opinion that they are usually planted too late in the 
season. My practice has been for years to plant in the end of 
February or beginning of March, putting in the bulbs with a 
long dibble to the depth of at least 6 inches, with, so far, much 
better results both as to growth and quantity of flowers. As 
soon as the fipt frosts appear the bulbs are lifted, placed for a 
week or two in a dry airy place, and then stored away for the 
winter beyond the reach of frost. 
The true Tigridias may be known by their regular flowers, 
the three outer petals of which are very large, and form a finger 
somewhat resembling a headless bird with expanded wings. The 
inner three are much smaller, and have a faint resemblance to a 
fiddle, or even, by a slight stretch of imagination, to the Manx 
crest. The filaments of the stamens unite and form a long tube 
in which the pistil is enclosed, the awl-shaped stigmas showing 
over the top. The flowers last for one day only, but ai’e produced 
in quick succession, and make up in brilliance for what they lose 
in durability. The leaves are comparatively long and narrow, 
with a peculiar corrugated appearance. 
Tigridia pavonia. —This best known and most generally 
cultivated form was introduced into this country from Mexico in 
171)6, and was first figured in the “Botanical Magazine,” 632, 
under the name of Ferraria Tigridia. It is now so well known 
that it is unnecessary to give any description of it; but there are 
several closely allied forms which claim attention, notably the 
latest introduction—viz., pavonia alba, a truly magnificent flower, 
a floral aristocrat of the highest rank in bulbous society; in fact, 
quite the belle of the Tigers. The flower, when well grown, is 
fully 5 inches in diameter, of a beautiful creamy white, heavily 
spotted in the cup and inner petals with crimson. It appears to 
be quite as hardy as pavonia, and is a slightly stronger grower. 
T. pavonia grandiflora.—Apparently only a selected form of the 
type with larger flowers. T. speciosa.—A form with a slightly 
darker ground colour than T. pavonia, hardly so free a grower. 
T. pavonia alba is sometimes offered for sale as T. speciosa alba. 
T. Wheeleri.—A very dark blood crimson form with smaller 
flowers. Is very desirable for the sake of variety. 
T. CONCHIPEORA. —Another Mexican plant with yellow ground 
and chocolate markings. This was not introduced until 1823, 
and is figured in Sweet’s “ Flower Garden,” 128. It is hardly so 
robust as T. pavonia, and seems to prefer a richer soil, but it is a 
plant well worth growing. This concludes the list of true Tigri¬ 
dias, but we will just glance at a few generally known by that 
name but really distinct. 
T. Heeberti (Cypella Herberti).—This plant has quite a 
collection of aliases, having been referred to the genera Moraea, 
Marica, and Folia by various authorities. The bulbs are tuni- 
cated, membranous; the stems slender, with narrow leaves, and 
bear a succession of pretty orange-coloured blooms similar in 
form to the true Tigridias, and, like them, fugitive. This plant, 
which is a native of Buenos Ayres, may be grown as recom¬ 
mended above, but is perhaps better adapted for pot culture. 
T. TJNDUEATA (Ferraria undulata). — A very curious and 
interesting native of the Gape of Good Hope, which, although 
introduced in 1775, is still not very generally known, its singular 
flowers of greenish-white spotted with brown not being so showy 
as those just noted. The principal distinction lies in the bulb, 
which is much more like a Cyclamen tuber than a true bulb. 
T. CCELESTIS (Phalocallis plumbea).—A true bulb, native of 
Brazil, with very pretty lilac-blue flowers, the inner tongue-like 
segments spotted with yellow and red; a much smaller flower 
than any of the preceding, and also one which does not flourish 
in the open except in very favourable situations. 
As Tigridias when grown in pots seed freely, it would be 
interesting to see if by judicious selection and cross-breeding 
the individual flowers could not be induced to last a little 
longer.— G. Guthrie. 
DEVON AND EXETER HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The summer Exhibition of this very old Society was held as usual in 
Vivary Park, Exeter, and, in common with several other societies in the 
west of England this season, gave every promise of renewed vigour and 
superiority. Vivary Park, though rather limited in extent, is very pictur¬ 
esque and most conveniently disposed, and, taking all things into consider¬ 
ation, it is really surprising how little interest the majority of the citizens of 
Exeter apparently take in the Society and its exhibitions. The attendance 
of visitors was certainly good, but nothing like the numbers that might 
reasonably be anticipated paid for admission. The Committee, however, 
numbers among its members several enthusiastic and practical men, and 
they are also fortunate in having the services of a courteous and hard-work¬ 
ing Honorary Secretary, Mr. C. T. K. Roberts. 
PLANTS. 
Here, as might be expected after his repeated successes elsewhere, Mr. G. 
Lock, gardener to B. W. Cleave, Esq., Crediton, near Exeter, had it very 
much his own way—in fact, it is doubtful if the plants shown by him could 
be equalled by any other grower. With ten stove and greenhouse plants in 
flower he gained a valuable silver cup, his group including grandly flow'ered 
plants from 4 feet to 5 feet through of Erica Fairrieana, E. tricolor Wil.'onii, 
and E. semula ; and very fine specimens of Ixora Dufiii, I. Williamsii, Dipla- 
denia Brearleyana, D. amabilis, Stephanotis floribunda, Clerodendron Bal- 
fourianum, and Allamanda Hendersonii. Mr. G. R. Peed, gardener to Mrs. 
Ensor, was a creditable second, having among others medium-sized well- 
flowered specimens of Ixora Williamsii, I. splendens, Allamanda Hendersoni, 
Clerodendron Balfourianum, and Erica tricolor Wilsoni. With six plants 
Mr. W. Rowland, gardener to W. Brock, Esq., was placed first, his specimens 
of well-known kinds being small but well flowered. Mr. Lock had the beet 
nine fine-foliaged plants, these consisting of large healthy specimens of 
Croton Williamsi, C. Disraeli, C. Weismannii, Alocasia intermedia, Encepha- 
