THE EASTER LILY IX NORTHERN CLIMATES. 5 



the varieties Multifiorum and Harrisii. The progenies with which 

 work has been done recently have as their basis selfed plants, i. e., 

 those produced from the pollen of a plant used on its own stigma 

 instead of on the stigma of another plant of the same or a different 

 variet3^ Subsequently, cross-pollinations of plants in the same lots 

 have been practiced for the most part. 



Cominonly, but not always, the set of seed in selfed plants is small 

 as compared with that obtained when two plants of the same variety 

 or of different varieties have V)e('n crossed. 



Fig. 2. — A croij of Easter lily seed being proiliucd in a grecnbouse. 

 LONGEVITY OF THE SEED. 



There is but little information as to the length of time that the 

 seed of the Easter lily will remain viable after it is harvested. Ex- 

 [)erience has shown that if planted as soon as it is gathered it takes 

 about twice as long to germinate as when held and planted G months 

 later. Perfect germination has occurred when the seed was 18 

 months old. This shows that perfect results may be expected from 

 seed held over to the second year. Whether seed can be safely held 

 hunger is not known. All the seed worked with in tliese investiga- 

 tions was stored in i)aper sacks in the packing shed of an ordinary 

 irreenhouse. 



11 



