THE AMARYLLIS AND STAR LILY FAMILY. l8l 



Imantophyllum (Clivia). A group of free-blooming ever- 

 green Amaryllids from the Cape, represented in our gardens 

 by three or four species, including /. miniatum, I. Aitoni, I. 

 Gardeni, and a very ornamental production, 7. cyrtanthiflorum, 

 which was raised by M. Van Houtte, of Ghent. It is a hybrid 

 from /. miniatum fertilised with pollen from /. Aitoni (Clivia 

 nobilis, Hort.) These plants are grown in some gardens under 

 the name of Clivia, and are readily propagated either by divi- 

 sion of strong clumps, or by seeds sown in a genial bottom- 

 heat. Seedlings of /. miniatum are very variable, some of the 

 forms being most profuse bloomers, and bearing large trusses 

 of brilliant orange-yellow flowers. 



Narcissus.* We have here a distinct and natural group of 

 hardy bulbs, principally natives of Europe, and numbering 

 about twenty species, all of which are readily propagated by 

 offsets, and many of them by seeds, which are very freely pro- 

 duced by the pure species under favourable conditions. Seeds 

 should be sown as soon as ripe ; for if kept until they become 

 hard and dry, they germinate very slowly, and the young seed- 

 lings are weakly. For hybridising purposes pot the bulbs of 

 the desired parents, and place them in the greenhouse or win- 

 dow, so as to isolate them from other kinds. Some of the late- 

 blooming varieties, as N. poeticus and N. Tazetta, may be 

 forced if pollen is required for crossing N. Pseudo-Narcissus 

 and its varieties, which bloom early. " The six anthers should 

 be carefully taken out before the flower which is to bear the seed- 

 blooms opens. This may be done through a slit in the tube ; 

 and the yellow dust from another sort must be applied to the 

 point of the style." After fertilisation is duly effected, and the 

 seed-vessels begin to swell, plunge the pots in the open border 

 in a sheltered position, carefully tie up the scapes, and watch 

 the seed-pods when they commence to ripen, or the seeds will 

 fall and be lost. Protect seed-pods carefully from mice and 

 birds. When the pods show signs of bursting, cut the scapes, 

 and keep them in water or moist earth until the seeds ripen, 

 after which sow at once in pans or boxes of light sandy earth. 

 Keep a sharp look-out for slugs, which will otherwise eat off 

 every young plant as it appears. 



There are numerous natural hybrids in this genus ; and Dr 

 Henon, who for many years made a special study of the French 

 Narcissi, writes : " The station of Lattes, near Montpelier, is 

 remarkable in that it offers many species mixed in the same 

 meadow (poeticus, angustifolius, biflorus, Tazetta), as well as 



* For a general account of the Narcissus, see 'Card. Chron.' 1869, or 

 * The Narcissus ; its History and Culture.' 



