The Snowdrop. 349 



Alleni is hardier, and I have here a portion of an immature leaf 

 which gives an idea of the general character of the foliage. 



G. Fosteri is generally believed to be a natural hybrid 

 between G. latifolius and G. Elwesii. The green petal markings 

 of this are like those of Elwesii, but the green apical spots are 

 confluent. This is a most variable Snowdrop. When I left 

 home it was not in bloom, so that I have not a dried specimen 

 here, but, thanks to Mr James Davidson of Summerville, I am 

 able to show a fresh bloom from his garden. One is glad to be 

 able to show a specimen of G. Ikariae, from the classic island of 

 Icaria, where the body of Icarus was cast by the sea and buried 

 by Hercules, after his unfortunate flight from Crete, when the 

 sun is said to have melted the wax which cemented his wings, 

 with the result that he fell into the ^gean Sea. The leaves of 

 the specimen I have were not fully developed when plucked, but 

 it will show the character of the foliage, although it cannot 

 reveal the beautiful arching habit it has when fully grown. The 

 flower is a fine one, and much superior to that of any other form 

 with lorate green leaves. It seems to combine the characters of 

 Galanthuses nivalis, Elwesii, and latifolius. 



Within comparatively recent years hybridisation has given us 

 a number of fine Snowdrops, the most of these having been raised 

 by Mr James Allen of Shepton Mallet. When I left home only 

 a few of these were in bloom, but I have a few here which will 

 show how fine some of these are. Mr Allen principally employed 

 G. nivalis, G. plicatus, and G. Elwesii as the parents, and it is 

 interesting to observe the various effects of the crosses employed. 

 I have also a series of hybrids obtained by the late Mr William 

 Thomson, High Blantyre, Lanarkshire. Some of these are very 

 handsome flowers, and I have here a specimen of one of these 

 hybrids, which were all between G. plicatus and G. nivalis, 

 though some are the progeny of hybrid plants themselves. Un- 

 fortunately, Mr Thomson is dead, and Mr Allen is now in such a 

 state of health that there is no prospect of his being able to 

 continue a work of great interest. 



Diseases of the Snowdrop. 



No one has as yet discovered the cause of the sudden 

 collapse of plants of Galanthus plicatus or of the frequently 

 short life of some plants of Glanthus Elwesii, but Botrytis 



