THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 341 



while travelling, many of the most handsome and delicate species, 

 which are only found in certain localities, may be collected in 

 abundance, which otherwise must be neglected altogether, and a 

 skilful botanist would at all times be able to separate a majority of 

 such species. I could in a brief space of time separate 100 British 

 species, allowing any one previously to use their skill in mixing and 

 confusing them. 



SPECIMEN YALLOTAS. 



BY WILLIAM KEMP. 



!|NE of the lions of the International Exhibition of Horti- 

 cultural Produce recently held at Belfast, was a gigantic 

 specimen of the lovely Vallota purpurea, whicb formed 

 part of a collection of plants from the gardens of 

 T. Sinclair, Esq. This example of our old friend, which 

 is generally known as the Scarborough Lily, was perhaps the finest 

 ever seen ; certainly it was one of the largest ever presented at 

 a public exhibition ; and the visitors who had been accustomed to 

 the puny little plants so common in gardens, were not slow in 

 expressing their surprise at its wonderful development. It was 

 well furnished with broad foliage of the deepest green, and highly 

 burnished. Erom out of this mass of handsome leafage arose no 

 less than forty scapes of unusual proportions, and bearing in the 

 aggregate a grand total of over two hundred flowers. The latter 

 were in the freshest condition, and the specimen consequently had 

 a very brilliant appearance, and was certainly not surpassed in 

 attractiveness by any other specimen plant in the exhibition. It 

 afforded, perhaps, one of the best lessons that was derived from the 

 exhibition ; for it proved, in the most conclusive manner, that it 

 may be grown to a very large size, and that when so grown, is of 

 the highest possible value for the embellishment of the conservatory,, 

 and for forming part of competitive groups during the autumn 

 months, when few really first-class greenhouse plants can be had 

 in bloom. Amateurs who take a pleasure in embellishing their 

 gardens with something of a superior character to greenhouse 

 annuals, should look after this fine old subject, and make up their 

 mind to do it full justice. 



Its cultivation is of the easiest, as Mr. Sinclair's gardener would 

 tell us, and doubtless much of his success may be attributed to his 

 leaving the plant alone. It is a very common practice to turn 

 Vallotas out of the pots every year and remove the greater portion 

 of the soil, and as soon as the offsets are large enough, to separate 

 them from the parent. Hence it is we so often meet with examples 

 consisting of one or two bulbs, and producing weakly flower scapes. 

 Now the grand secret in the production of a specimen like the one 

 which gladdened the eyes of the thousands who visited the Belfast 

 exhibition, is to commence with a thrifty plant, and shift it on year 

 by year without disturbing the bulbs or injuring the roots. 



November. 



