POPULAR GAEDEN PLANTS. 



479 



N. Curtisii, var. superba. Pitchers larger and richer 

 in colour, rim crimson. 



N. Northiana (fig. 585). Pitchers a foot long, greenish- 

 red striped and spotted crimson. 



N. Phyllamphora. Free grower, thin wavy leaves, 

 pitchers green. 



N. Rafflesiana (fig. 585). Strong grower, large inflated 

 broad-winged green mottled-red pitchers. 



N. Rafflesiana, var. Hoolceriana. Pitchers shorter and 

 with narrow wings. 



N. sanguined. Leaves fleshy, rich green, pitchers 

 large, uniform red. 



N. Veitchii. Leaves hairy, dwarf habit, pitchers green 

 with wide rim. 



The following are the best hybrids : — 



N. Balfouriana {mixta x Mastersiana). Enormous pit- 

 chers, highly coloured. 



N. cylindrica ( Veitchii x hirsuta). Long green pit- 

 chers, very free. 



N. Dicksoniana (Rafflesiana x Veitchii). Pitchers very 

 large and richly coloured. 



N. Mastersiana (sanguinea x distillatorea). The finest 

 hybrid, very free. 



N. mixta (Curtisii x Northiana). Pitchers large, highly 

 coloured, free. 



N. Morganice (Hoolceriana x Phyllamphora). Elegant 

 habit, bright-red pitchers. 



N. Sedeni (distillatorea x unknown). Free, pretty little 

 crimson pitchers. 



JV. Tiveyi (fig. 586) ( Veitchii x Curtisii superba). Very 

 large richly-coloured pitchers. 



N. "W. T. Thiselton-Dyer" (Dicksoniana x mixta). 

 Enormous pitchers, rich in colour. 



Nerine (fig. 587). — A genusof useful autumn- 

 and winter -flowering bulbous plants, natives of 

 South Africa. Until recently only two species, 

 JV. samiensis, the Guernsey Lily, and JV. curvi- 

 folia, were recognized in horticulture; now, 

 however, eight of the ten known species are 

 grown as decorative plants, and there are also 

 numerous hybrids and seedlings of first-rate 

 merit. The principal growers and breeders 

 of Nerines are Mr. Mansell, of Guernsey; Mr. 

 Elwes, of Colesbourne; Herr Max Leichtlin, of 

 Baden-Baden; and Mr. F. W. Moore, Glas- 

 nevin. Mr. James O'Brien bred some good 

 sorts whilst with Messrs. Henderson. JV. sar- 

 niensis was cultivated in Paris in 1634, and in 

 London in 1654, whilst in the Channel Islands 

 it has been regularly cultivated for 200 years 

 for the English and other markets, where it is 

 known as the Guernsey Lily. It is supposed 

 that originally a quantity of bulbs were washed 

 on to the islands from a wrecked ship, and 

 established themselves there. 



Cultivation. — The requirements of Nerines are 

 easily afforded, the point of chief importance 

 being the resting of the bulbs. The flower- 

 spikes are developed in the last quarter of the 



year, and usually precede the foliage. Growth 

 continues all winter and finishes in April, when 

 the leaves turn yellow and fall off. A pot- 

 bound condition is favourable to the production 

 of flowers. The bulbs may be allowed to crowd 

 (they produce offset-bulbs freely), and a 9-inch 

 pot may hold as many as twenty bulbs all 



Fig. 587.— Nerine curvifolia. 



huddled together. Under good treatment the 

 majority of these will flower annually. 



In repotting, the whole mass of soil, roots, 

 and bulbs should simply be transferred intact 

 to a larger pot. The best time to repot is 

 immediately after the flowers have faded. 

 Some growers prefer to repot in July, whilst 

 the bulbs are at rest. A light loam, or a mix- 

 ture of loam and peat with a little sand, may 

 be used. As a rule, a top-dressing will be 

 found sufficient. A little water may be given 

 after potting or top-dressing, but the bulbs 

 should be kept quite dry until the flower- 

 spikes show. They should be placed in a 

 sunny, cool greenhouse to flower. Whilst 

 making new growth, that is, from the end of 

 the flower-season until April, the plants should 

 be kept in a sunny house or frame, close to the 

 glass, in a temperature not lower than 50° at 



