By the Hon, and Rev. William Herbert. 



179 



kept as hot as possible in the summer, when the leaves 

 are withered, giving them, at that time, very little or no 

 water. The same treatment suits the whole of that division 

 of the bulbs, formerly confounded with the Amaryllises, 

 which now forms the genus Nerine * viz. undulata, humilis, 

 flexuosa, venusta, rosea, corusca, and curvifolia. It is to be 

 regretted that no other species of Nerine is cultivated at 

 Guernsey. The plant known to us under the name of the 

 Guernsey Lily,f is one of the varieties of Nerine venusta,J 

 but it is neither so beautiful, nor so free to bloom, as some 

 other species of the same genus. Nerine curvifolia,§ the 

 largest species with fine scarlet flowers and broad glaucous 

 leaves, scarcely ever fails to flower ; and Nerine rosea|| is 

 very superior in beauty, and flowers more freely than the 

 Guernsey variety of venusta. The small sort of Nerine 

 venusta, flowers freely, three or four bulbs being placed to- 

 gether in a small pot. 



The smallest species, N. undulata,f will breed with any of 

 the other species. I have many strong mules from it im- 

 pregnated by N. curvifolia, which are much larger than the 

 mother plant, with much broader and more glaucous leaves. 



The original substance of this letter was written in the 

 autumn of 1818, and was delayed, as you will remember, 

 for the purpose of sending with it the blossom of one of 

 those mules. The buds were chilled, and failed at the end 

 of October, and the same cause, namely their having vegeta- 

 ted too late in 1818, prevented their shewing bloom at all 

 last year. 



♦ Bot. Mag. 2124. fBot.Mag.294. 

 + Bot. Mag. 1090. § Bot " Ma S' 7 ' 25 - 



| Bot. Mag. 2124. f Bot. Mag. 369. 



