30 



EOTAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



this extensive genus. It appears to be a profuse flowerer, and, 

 when more fully established, must become a general favourite. 



VIII. A short Note on different Varieties of Amaryllis. 

 By James Anderson. 



The Amaryllis, taken in the popular acceptation of the word, may 

 be esteemed the king of all flowering bulbs, being so princely in 

 appearance when under a proper course of cultivation, and pos- 

 sessing flowers with such a variety of shades of colour so ad- 

 mirably blended. The species commonly called Amaryllis belongs 

 really to the genus Hippeastrum ; but gardeners and lovers of 

 flowers in general, if we except the botanical fraternity, are slow 

 at changing the original nomenclature of plants, however good 

 arguments botanists may adduce for adopting such a change. 

 Amaryllids constitute a large order of highly ornamental plants, 

 which collectors have found and sent home from various parts of 

 the world ; but none of them possess the decorative merits jof the 

 subject of our remarks. South America, and Brazil in par- 

 ticular, have furnished by far the largest portion of the original 

 species under cultivation ; but it is scarcely necessary to say that 

 these species, after having been crossed and recrossed with one 

 another, have produced a wonderful addition in point of pro- 

 gressive excellence. 



We are chiefly indebted to A. vittata,A. Bolandrceflora,^^, A. Orga- 

 nensis for our present fine race. But how much more interesting 

 would it be to be enabled to hybridize Vallota purpurea and V. 

 formosissima with either the original or any of the progeny of the 

 species just mentioned ! So far as I am aware, attempts at im- 

 pregnation have hitherto defied the efforts and experiments of all 

 those who have tried them, The Vallota, besides having an almost 

 perfect form of petal, sends forth a scape with from six to twelve 

 flowers on each ; and if this free-flowering habit could be intro- 

 duced into the constitution of such a variety as Achermanni pul- 

 cherrima, what a great advance in decorative horticulture would 

 be obtained ! That last-named variety may be said to be the very 

 finest under cultivation, being of the most perfect velvety crimson, 

 so as to dazzle the eye of every onlooker. The substance of the 

 petal is of the highest order, and its form is in no way objection- 

 able ; so that, could we get a scape, which in this instance never, 

 under any circumstances, produces more than four flowers, with 



