AND THEIR CULTURE. 



143 



This noble Lily inhabits the western slope of the Californian Sierra 

 Nevada, and is found along the water-shed of the streams that 

 run into the Sacramento. Professor Wood in the notice in 

 the "Proceedings of the Academy of Philadelphia" above quoted, 

 describes the plant as occurring in woods, here and there, from 

 the Yosemite to the Columbia, and says further, <f lt is well-known 

 to the miners, who recognise its superior qualities, and call it 

 the Washington Lily." There are specimens in the Kew herbarium 

 gathered by Jeffery in 1853, by W. Lobb in 1857, and also by 

 Bridges. I am very glad to note that it has found its way at last into 

 this country. It shows how Lilies have been neglected, when a plant 

 like this has to wait 15 years for an orthodox botanical christening; 

 and when growing in a country so much frequented and so easily 

 accessible as California, it has to wait 17 years to reach the hands of 

 our gardeners. Well, we have got it at 

 last, and I hope we may not let it slip 

 through our fingers, as we did in the case 

 of Nepalense-, and I only ask all those 

 amongst your readers that can appreciate 

 a fine Lily, to read the description I have 

 just given, in order to realize what a treat 

 is awaiting them. 



14. L. Washington ianwn Piirpureum. 

 A smaller and slenderer form ; stem, 

 12 to 18 inches high; leaves, 1 to 1^ 

 inches long; flowers, in umbels of four 

 to eight ; segments, more falcate, 5 or 6 

 lines broad, white when first expanded, 

 but after a few days changing gradually 

 to a deep vinous-purple colour, and with 

 numerous small dots scattered over the 

 entire inner surface; style, 9 to 12 inches 

 long. California, on the coast ranges of the 

 Sierras (see pages 22, 23).* Extensively 

 cultivated in English gardens since l^^ 



15. L. Parryi. A new Californian Lily. Through the kindness 

 of a correspondent, Mr. W. 0. Gronen, I am enabled to furnish 

 particulars of this new form, recently introduced into Europe, and 

 placed by Mr. Watson in the Eurilion group. It has not yet, we 

 believe, flowered in Europe. 



"On one of my last botanical excursions in the vicinity of San Bernar- 

 dino, Southern California, in the early part of July, 1876, I improved the- 

 opportunity to accept an often repeated invitation to visit the intelligent 



T he Pm-ple-tinted Washington. 

 Lily. 



* A very good description, with plates, of these two forms, is found in Flor. and; 

 Pomol., 1874, p. 256. 



