JACOBEAN LILY. 159 



JACOBEAN LILY. 



(SPREIKELIA FORMOSISSIMA.) 



" I can find treasure in the loafy showers, 



Which, in the merry autumn time will fall ; 

 And I can find strong love in buds and flowers, 



And beauty in the moonlight silent hours. 



There's nothing nature gives can fail to please, 



For there's a common joy pervading all." 



This genus of flowering bulbs is better known under the 

 name of "Jacobean Lily," and is an old variety of flowering 

 bulbs. It was imported from South America, where it is 

 found in its pristine state about ravines. The cardinal beau- 

 ty of this flower alone, has established the merit of its posi- 

 tion as a desirable plant, and worthy of cultivation in every 

 collection, however limited a person's tribe of Amaryllideae 

 may be. It may be considered as tender, and if planted out 

 in the open ground in April or May, will flower well. The 

 tube is fringed, corolla nodding, with a very ringent limb ; 

 stamens included in the involute of the lower segments. 

 In October, when the foliage will be sufficiently matured, 

 take them up. The leaves should be dried gradually in a 

 room, and then packed away until the following spring. 

 This bulb, like the Amaryllis, flowers before the leaf or 

 grass is expanded; and such is the rapidity of its growth, 

 that the flower stem will be up and the flowers expanded, 

 taking you by surprise, in a few days ; and if planted in a 

 rich soil, they will frequently throw up two stems with sev- 

 eral flowers at a time, with such imposing rich crimson 



