134 



ON AMAE1IXIDS. 



Some years since he seemed quite positive about the impossi- 

 bility of obtaining a cross between a Pancratium and Hymeno- 

 callis, although it is very difficult to point out any distinction 

 between some species of the two families, in the absence of the 

 seeds — on the diversity of which he founded his argument against 

 their union — that of Hymenocallis being as green and fleshy as 

 a pea. and in some cases as large as horse beans, while those of 

 Pancratium are invariably black and shelly. Now this is as near 

 as possible the only difference between the seeds of Clivia and 

 those of Cyrtanthns, and it is well known that the Dean had 

 latterly some misgivings as to the value of this distinction 

 between Hymenocallis and Pancratium, for he avowed as much 

 in this Journal in 1847. Therefore if it should turn out that a 

 Pancratium will breed with Hymenocallis, are we to infer that a 

 Cyrtanthus will cross with Clivia? I fear not: the insurmount- 

 able barrier in the difference of the flower scapes still intervenes 

 — a feature, as we have already seen, which renders a Clivia as 

 unfit to cross with a Cyrtanthus "as with an Oak," although the 

 two individuals look as much alike as if they were twins, while 

 Cyrtanthus has crossed freely with the Vallota. with which it 

 has; hardly one point of outward resemblance; but I believe it 

 will be found that their seeds are very similar, and they agree 

 in having a pipy stalk like the Hippeasters. 



I have laid the foundation for crossing the Cyrtanthus by the 

 pollen of Vallota some years since at the request of Dean 

 Herbert. In 1845 I sent three curious new bulbs to him which 

 were received here from Captain G. Broke, R.N.. from Algoa, 

 and he requested particularly that I would procure some flowering 

 bulbs of either of the evergreen Cyrtanthi fresh from their native 

 soil through Captain Broke, alleging as a reason that he was 

 anxious to see if I could effect a cross between them and the 

 Vallota, and that there was more certainty in our being able to 

 flower a fresh specimen than those we already possessed, after 

 they had stood a long time in pots with little disposition to 

 bloom : accordingly a couple of fine bulbs were here in due time, 

 not as I wished them, however, for I sent out instructions to 

 have as many of their old roots saved as possible — always a 

 good provision in the case of such bulbs as are known to be shy 

 bloomers with us — but the commission was entrusted to a Cape 

 Town seedsman, and these collectors never think of looking after 

 the roots of such bulbs as they gather and offer for sale, arid no 

 roots arrived with the Cyrtanthus bulbs, but after two full 

 seasons' growth one of them flowered last July, being the third 

 season after potting. The treatment was suggested by the Dean, 

 and may be stated thus: — The two bulbs were potted in pure 

 vellow loam, considerably reduced with sand, in upright pots not 



