EVERLASTING FLOWERS 195 



Crinum seeds are very curious, in that they 

 vary enormously in size, almost always, even 

 in the same capsule. The pale-greenish bulb- 

 like seeds with irregular corrugations may vary 

 from the size of a pea to that of an English wal- 

 nut. When placed in a graded sequence they 

 present a curious contrast. Yet the plants 

 grown from the smallest seeds are likely to be 

 quite as large and of the same appearance and 

 quality as those grown from the mammoth ones. 

 The seeds of the crinum thus funish a unique link 

 between seeds, buds, and bulbs, suggesting the 

 properties of all these combined. 



Another peculiarity of the seeds is that they 

 contain so much nutriment and moisture that 

 they may sprout and grow, making plants of 

 considerable size, without access to any mois- 

 ture except that contained within the seed itself. 

 I have known them to sprout when laid on a 

 shelf, or in envelopes, away from the light and 

 entirely dry ; also when sent to me by mail from 

 Australia they sometimes started as seeds and 

 arrived here in envelopes as small growing 

 plants. 



The crinums have been under cultivation for 

 a long time, but there are many species that have 

 not been experimented with, and the opportu- 

 nity to introduce new forms from the tropics, 



