February 22, 1893. J 



Garden and Forest 



91 



troduced into this country by the late Rev. Harpur Crewe, who 

 received bulbs from Lord Walsingham, who had collected 

 them on one of the Albanian mountains. 



Following Galanthus octobrensis are some others, which are 

 as yet too rare, and have been too short a time in our gardens 

 to make it possible to speak with any certainty of their average 

 blooming time. Of these, G. Rachelae and G. Elsas are in cul- 

 tivation, butareso rare as to be almost priceless. The former 



Fig. 16.— A Girdled Pear-tree restored by grafting.— See page 



was collected by Professor Mahaffy, on Mount Hymettus, in 

 1884 or 1886. This was in leaf in Dublin in December, and I 

 have a bulb, received under this name, which is also in leaf, 

 but it is quite possible that mine may not prove the true sort, 

 as there are several winter-flowering varieties at present going 

 under the names of G. Olgas, G. Rachela; and G. Elsae on the 

 Continent. Of the authenticated G. Rachelre there are very 



few bulbs in existence. G. Elsas was in bud in Dublin in De- 

 cember, but it has been known to open earlier. G. 01g;e is at 

 present in uncertainty. It was originally found on Mount 

 Laygetus by Orphanides, but, unfortunately, on account of his 

 sad illness, no further trace of it seems to have been found. 

 G. Elsae was brought from Mount Athos by Professor Ma- 

 haffy. 



In all probability, however, it will be found that Galanthus 

 Corcyrensis or prsecox, said to have been 

 sentfrom Corfu to the Rev. HarpurCrewe, 

 is the Snowdrop which in ordinary seasons 

 will succeed G. octobrensis. This flow- 

 ered with me in the end of November, 

 1892, but it generally flowers from the 

 middle to the end of December. This is 

 a small but pretty form of G. nivalis, to 

 which species G. Rachelas and G. Elsas 

 also belong. It, like all the other autumn- 

 flowering varieties, possesses the glaucous 

 line down the centre of the leaf, which is 

 a noteworthy feature of these varieties. 

 There are several Snowdrops from Corfu, 

 of which little can be said, for the sufficient 

 reason that they have not yet been properly 

 named, and in all likelihood some of these 

 will be offered under the names of some 

 of the rare varieties being inquired for. 

 I have two bulbs from the Continent, as 

 "received from Albania, and probably 

 octobrensis." They are only in bud, and 

 although of the autumn and winter-flow- 

 ering type, it is likely enough, from their 

 appearance, that they will prove to be 

 bulbs of G. corcyrensis. 



The next to bloom in our gardens is 

 Galanthus Elwesi, one of the finest of our 

 Snowdrops, although having the defect of 

 failing in some gardens, and also of being 

 weak in the stem. Mr. Allen, of Shepton 

 Mallet, to whom, in a very great degree, 

 the movement in favor of the Snowdrops 

 is due, is endeavoring to raise seedlings 

 of a more vigorous type, and it is to be 

 hoped that he may be successful. G. 

 Elwesi is very distinct, not only from the 

 inner petals being arranged in a tube-like 

 manner, but also from the dark green 

 basal blotch extending to half their length. 

 There is a very considerable variation in 

 this species, and several superior forms 

 are at present in process of selection. Mr. 

 Allen has found some with the inner 

 petals almost entirely green, and Mr. Boyd, 

 of Melrose, has raised a seedling which 

 flowered for the first time in 1892, and 

 which is entirely white. According to Mr. 

 Baker's Handbook of the AmaryllidecB, G. 

 Elwesi was discovered by Balansa in 1854, 

 but was only individualized in 1875 t>y Mr. 

 Elwes. Mr. Baker gives February as the 

 flowering period in this country, but I 

 have found this species flowers very early 

 in January, in ordinary seasons, with me. 

 This season it is later than usual. Im- 

 ported bulbs are, however, earlier, and 

 liave been showing flower from early in 

 December. I have also underobservation 

 bulbs received from the Bithynian Olym- 

 pus, and marked by my correspondent as 

 probably G. Elwesi. The leaves, however, 

 appear broader than those of El wesi, which 

 has been introduced from the mountains 

 near Smyrna. I can find no note regard- 

 ing theGalanthiof the Bithynian Olympus, 

 and am in hope that I may find some- 

 thing near G. Fosteri among my bulbs. 

 G. nivalis, our common Snowdrop, has 

 proved much more variable than is 

 generally believed. 



Besides the various autumn varieties already noted, those 

 which flower in spring vary considerably. Taking these varie- 

 ties in alphabetical order, we have G. aestivalis, a very pretty and 

 distinct little Snowdrop with bright green markings, and flower- 

 ing much later than the type. I have had this tor some four 

 or five years, and find it Very useful for cutting purposes. G. 



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