60 RECOKD OF HOKTICrLTrRE. 



nounced by Hovey & Co., of Boston ; this is said to be a 

 hybrid between L. anratum and one of the L. speciosuni. A 

 hybrid between the Auratum and Melpomene would be 

 a very desirable acquisition, especially if it possessed the 

 large size of the former and brilliant color of the lat- 

 ter. The very prominent pistil and stamens in the 

 Lily make it a convenient subject to operate upon, and 

 even the novice will experience but little difficulty in 

 crossino:* the diiferent varieties that bloom at the same 

 time. But when they bloom at different periods, it is 

 more difficult, because the pollen must be preserved 

 until wanted for use, unless the plants can be brought 

 into flower by artificial means at the same time. This 

 may readily be effected where there are green-houses 

 at hand, for the late bloomers may be started ear- 

 lier than they would if allowed to remain in the open 

 ground. 



To make the subject plain to those utiacquainted with 

 the operation of hybridizing and crossing, let us examine 

 the flower of the common White Lily — see fig. 4; A, are the 



* The term crossing and hybridizing is often used indiscriminate- 

 ly to designate hybrids and varieties ; this we believe to be incor- 

 rect, as a hybrid is a mixture of two species, while a cross is that 

 of two varieties. For instance, if we should fertilize the L. aura- 

 tum with the L. speciosum album and produce a new variety in- 

 tennediate between the two, it would be a hybrid ; but if a seedling 

 is produced between the L. speciosum album and L. speciosum ru- 

 brum, then we would have a cross between two varieties of the same 

 species. The only difficulty appears to be, that among the immense 

 iiumber of plants in cultivation it is difficult to distinguish varie- 

 ties from species ; still, we hold that the words should be used in 

 the sense we have named, Ijccause they arc really distinct in their 

 derivation and meaning. 



