DESCRIPTIVE AND CULTURAL NOTES 25 



also in a mixture of loam and peat, and likes plenty of 

 moisture in full growth. It will flower well the first 

 season after planting, and continues to increase in size of 

 bulb and height of stems yearly. The largest bulbs 

 grown under glass culture at Kew have measured over 

 eight inches in diameter. 



L. Humboldti is a native of Central and Northern 

 California, mostly in elevated districts, where it grows 

 four to eight feet high, but in this country it seldom 

 exceeds five feet. The flower stem is stout and erect, 

 and clothed with whorls of leaves at regular intervals. 

 The numerous drooping flowers are borne in a loose 

 triangular cluster. They are brilliant reddish-yellow, 

 spotted with maroon on the reflexed petals. 



The variety ocellatum or magnfaum, from Southern 

 California, is superior to the type in freedom of flowering 

 and the maroon spots are much larger. The variety 

 Bloomerianum, known also as L. Bloomerianum, is a smaller 

 growing form. 



The bulbs of the typical L. Humboldti are large and 

 heavy and peculiar in shape. Unfortunately this is as 

 capricious as it is beautiful. It grows well with no 

 special attention in some gardens, in others it invariably 

 fails from some unaccountable reason. The most 

 successful results as a rule are attained when the bulbs 

 are under the same conditions as L. auratum, but even 

 then they often fail, whereas under quite different con- 

 ditions they will flourish. 



A moist atmosphere seems to be indispensable to it, 

 and therefore it thrives well in moist parts of Scotland 

 and Ireland. Like many others of the Martagon group 

 it rarely makes much show the first season, even from a 

 large bulb ; often the only sign of life above ground is 

 a puny stem about a foot high that perishes before 

 growing strong enough to flower. The following 

 season, however, it usually recovers strength and 



