LILY. 



211 



a highly recommended variety, and will, to his surprise, 

 find it will answer the description given, at least, to a 

 dozen other varieties of the same species ; for that reason 

 we have omitted descriptions of very many desirable 

 named sorts. 



L. excelsum (testaceum) {Isabellinum). — This is a 

 superb Lily, with a mixed history and a variety of names. 

 It has been generally supposed to be a hybrid between L. 

 candidum and L. chalcedonicum. There is but little evi- 

 dence to support the theory, and it is said to have first 

 been seen in a bed of seedlings in Erfurt, in 1846. Dr. 

 Wallace says of it : "It has been thought not to have 

 a Japanese origin, because no bulbs of it have ever been 

 traced as coming over from the Islands of the Western 

 Sea, so productive of new and graceful forms ; but we 

 have seen, more than once,, in Japanese drawings exe- 

 cuted for us years ago, by some of the best artists in 

 Yeddo [Tokio], of all the Lilies of Japan, forms rep- 

 resented bearing a very strong resemblance to Excelsum. 

 It is true that among these Lilies there are some most 

 wonderful forms and gorgeous pieces of coloring, such 

 as would lead many to disbelieve in the veracity of 

 the artist; but, on the other hand, we can point to 

 other Lily forms which we know well, depicted therein 

 with fair accuracy, while the birds and insects portrayed 

 in some numbers, we recognize to have been truthfully 

 delineated. Our own conclusion is that, as yet, we have 

 scarcely touched the rich treasure of wonderful Lilies 

 which Japan will one day send to us." Whatever may 

 have been the origin of Excelsum, how, or where, or 

 when it was born, makes but little difference, and does 

 not alter the fact that in grace, form, color and fra- 

 grance it has but few equals, and no superior, in this 

 noble family of plants. It is, moreover, of easy culture, 

 succeeding best in a loamy soil and in a partially shaded 

 situation. It has often been asserted that this Lily had 



