STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 93 



Lily of the Yalle}'. This beautiful little plant is extensively 

 grown for forcing in winter and early spring months. It is per- 

 fectly hardy, preferring a slightly shaded situation. 



AMARYLLIS. 



Aformosissima, Jacobean Lily. This is a bulbous plant produc- 

 ing dark scarlet flowers, easily forced requiring the same treatment 

 as hyacinths. They are natives of Guatemala and were introduced 

 in 1658. It is called Jacobean on account of the brilliant scarlet of 

 its flowers ; which the Spaniards in Peru thought resembled the 

 scarlet swords worn b}' the knights of the order of St. James, 

 (Jacobeans) and is the only described species of this genus. 



AGAPAXTHUS. 



From agape, love, and anthos, a flower. Linn, hexandria^ 

 tetragynia, natural order liliacejc. Hexandria, having six stamens. 

 Tetragynia, having four styles. Liliacea?, a natural order of 

 monocotyledonous plants belonging to the sub-class Petaloidoe and 

 constituting the type of Lindley's lilial alliance of endogens. 



The Blue African Lily, A. umhellahis, a noble plant with thicks 

 fleshy roots and retains its leaves all the winter. There is a variety 

 with striped leaves, A. alhidus, has white flowers, but it does not 

 differ from the common kind in any other respect. The Afiican 

 lilies all require a loamy soil, enriched. They should be fully 

 exposed to the light ; also plent}' of water when they are in a grow- 

 ing state. The plants are always large before they flower, and 

 when the flower stalks appear the plants should be in a large pot, 

 so that the roots may have plenty of room. They should be abund- 

 antly supplied with water, taking care, however, not to let any 

 remain in a stagnant state about the roots. Thus treated, this 

 plant will frequently send up a flower-stock about three feet high 

 crowned with twenl}- or thirty flowers, which will open in succes- 

 sion. It flowers in summer and forms a noble ornament to an 

 architectural terrace, or a fine object on a lawn. 



What a desolate place would be a world without a flower I It 

 would be a face without a smile ; a feast without a welcome. 

 Flowers contain the language and sentiment of the heart, thus : 

 Faith is represented to us in the blue Passion Flower ; hope beams 

 forth from the evergreen ; peace Irom the olive branch ; the cares of 

 life are represented by the rosemar}' ; the fair lily is an image of 

 hol-y innocence ; the victory of the spirit, by the palm. 



