HIPPEASTRUMS 



with a prominent green centre and deep crimson veining on the apical portion of 

 the floral segments. About the same time H. aulicum, from the Organ Mountains 

 of Brazil, introduced by the celebrated horticulturist Mr. William Harrison, was 

 described by Ker in the second volume of the Journal of Science and the Arts, 

 p. 353. It has an irregular flower, red in colour, a prominent green centre, and 

 segments thin and pointed. 



Another remarkable species, named Hippeastrum solandrseflorum, has flowers 

 with a long greenish-white tube and almost regular segments, which, when seen 

 individually, resemble some of the Japanese species of Lilium. The Dean crossed 

 this species with the male H. reginse-vittatum, and obtained a similar result to 

 that whijh is figured in the Botanical Magazine, t. 3542, as Hippeastrum 

 ambiguum longiflora, afterwards used as a parent in the production of the forms 

 with long-tubed flowers. 



As early as 1824 Dean Herbert had thirty-five recorded hybrids, all, with the 

 exception of five, raised by himself. 



In his " Amaryllidaceee," Herbert states that the first cross made was between 

 the two species Hippeastrum vittatum and H. reginse or equestre, by a Mr. 

 Johnson, a shoemaker, or, according to others, a watchmaker of Lancashire, in 

 the year 1811, and later by Herbert himself at Mitcham in 1811. 



This hybrid received the name of Johnsoni from the first-named raiser, and 

 from Herbert, a compound of the two specific names H. regio-vittatum. The 

 correctness of the recorded parentage of Johnsoni was at one time doubted, but 

 Mr. Gowen, at that time gardener to the Earl of Carnarvon, by raising seedlings 

 from the same cross, proved it identical with Johnsoni. 



A remarkable fact in connection with this hybrid is the length of time it 

 retained its character under cultivation, and its potentiality with other species 

 and varieties when used as a breeder, influenced the offspring to a great extent. 



Amongst many hybrids that existed but for a short time, and exerted little 

 influence on succeeding generations, one may be singled out as of more importance 

 than the rest. 



This received the name of Acramanni (and also the erroneous one of 

 Ackermanni), and was the result of a cross by Messrs. Garraway & Sons of 

 Bristol in 1835 between Hippeastrum aulicum, H. platypetalum, and H. 

 psittacinum. It was named Acramanni in compliment to G. Acraman Esq., of 

 the city of Bristol. 



This was unquestionably the finest hybrid yet raised, but a few years later was 

 eclipsed by a seedling of the same firm, flowered in 1850, from Hippeastrum 

 aulicum crossed with the hybrid Johnsoni, named Acramanni pulcherrima, from a 

 resemblance it bore to the original hybrid. This last is of great interest, as one 

 of the parents used by Messrs. Veitch some years later, in the production of the 

 first Hippeastrum raised at Chelsea. 



Van Houtte and other horticulturists in Belgium and France took up the 

 culture of these plants soon after the appearance of Acramanni pulcherrima, and 

 produced many fine seedlings remarkable for brilliance of colouring, though 

 usually deficient in form, with narrow pointed petals of unequal size. 



The elder de Graaff of Leyden afterwards surpassed Van Houtte's productions, 

 especially with one named Graveana. This fine form afterwards used by his sons 

 in connection with a dark form of Hippeastrum psittacinum produced the fine 

 Empress of India, still in cultivation. 



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