By James Robert Gowen, Esq. 501 



then unreasonable to suppose, that the same species of Ama- 

 ryllis, seated in the hot and moist climate, and vegetable soil 

 of the basin of the Amazons, in the arid sandy plains of cen- 

 tral Brazil, or in the cool regions of its mountainous districts, 

 should, in the course of a long succession of ages, have as- 

 sumed the different appearances under which we now see 

 them? differences, in many of them, more apparent than 

 real, in relative proportion of parts, not in structure, and 

 scarcely marked enough for the purpose of satisfactory bo- 

 tanical distinction. 



Believe me, Dear Sir, 



most sincerely yours, 



James Robert Gowen. 



Highclere, July 28, 1821. 



Note by the Secretary. 



The following account of the origin of the Amaryllis John- 

 soni has been communicated to me by Mr. John Shepherd, 

 Curator of the Liverpool Botanic garden : 



" Mr. Johnson, who was a manufacturer of the gold 

 hands of watches, resided at Prescot, about eight miles from 

 Liverpool ; he was very fond of his garden, and paid much 

 attention to the plants which he cultivated in a small green- 

 house, as well as in the open border. About the year 1798 

 or 1799, according to his statement, having impregnated A. 

 vittata with the pollen of A. formosissima, from the seeds of 

 the impregnation he raised several plants, most of which 

 were lost by an accident which destroyed his green-house, in 



