AND THEIE CULTUEE. 65 



Tulip fancier readily distinguish minute differences ; and, after cultivating 

 them for three or four years, I selected the best nine, and named them as 

 follows : Melpomene, Terpsichore, Erato, Urania, Polyhymnia, Clio, 

 Thalia, Calliope, and Euterpe names under which they were subsequently 

 distributed throughout the United States. I soon ascertained that there 

 was a vast difference in the character of the bulbs ; some of them 

 were increased with great difficulty, and when in later years I had 

 hundreds of bulbs of Melpomene, I only had a dozen or so of Euterpe. 

 They would not make offsets, either above or around the old root ; but, 

 from want of time, I did not find the opportunity of ascertaining and 

 recording which crosses were affected in this way. I continued my 

 experiments in succeeding years, in the way of cross-breeding, but kept 

 no record of them. I only know that some, crossed with Longiflorum and 

 others, completely ruined the shape of many of the flowers. Among all 

 my seedlings there is not a pure white, although Album was fertilised 

 with Speciosum, and, as is generally supposed, the female parent has a 

 prevailing influence on the progeny. There was not even a pink spotted 

 one like Punctatum, as one would have supposed there would have been. 

 Some years subsequently, I raised several whites, and one long, large, 

 flower, quite distinct, but it accidentally got thrown out of the pot when 

 in a dormant state. I also raised a very distinct variety, with flowers 

 about half-way in size between those of Chalcedonicum and Speciosum, 

 with stems more densely clothed with leaves, and the petals blush-white, 

 with pale lilac-rose spots. This I named "Eva." It increased slowly, and 

 is still rare in collections, but it is a beautiful variety. To show how enthu- 

 siastic I was about this Lily, I may mention, that in 1871, I had over a 

 pint of seed, and after disposing of a good deal of it, I still have nearly 

 half the quantity. It vegetates when three or four years old. Long ago 

 the late Mr. Groom gave us some account of his seedlings, between 

 Bulbiferum (Elegans,Baker?) and Atrosanguineum, and when at his nurseries, 

 in 1844, I bought the set, eighteen in number, some of the names of which 

 were Voltaire, Talisman, Rubens, Vulcan, &c. ; at first I grew them in 

 pots, fearing they might not be hardy ; but in this way I lost some of 

 them, and as I gave so much attention to the Japan sorts, they were 

 neglected, and I turned them out into a bed where they flourished well. 

 They grew about a foot high, and produced an umbel, consisting of from 

 three to six flowers, the colours being deep dull blood red, speckled and 

 mottled with purplish crimson. They were, however, too much alike, 

 only lasted in flower a short time, and did not increase rapidly. Are 

 they still in cultivation in England ? As regards improvement, I do not 

 expect much from the yellow and red kinds crossed with each other. If, 

 however, a handsome lemon, or buff, or buff-spotted, could be produced, it 

 would be an acquisition. The red and yellow are strong ; but it is only 

 the clear and delicate white grounds that are desirable. All may be 

 crossed with Speciosum and Auratum, by which process the size may be 

 increased" Garden, vol. 8, p. 2. 



