SNOWDROPS. 



181 



ferent strain from G. corcyrcnsis, in which I have found no 

 variation. My kind correspondent informed me that the ordinary 

 Snowdrop of the island of Corfu hlooms in January. 



G. Elsce. — Amongst some roots collected by Dr. Mahaffy on 

 Mount Athos in Greece in April 1889 (?) were a few bulbs of a 

 Snowdrop which pushed through the soil in October of that 

 year. Mr. Burbidge noticed these, and kindly sent one of them 

 to me. This opened its flower on the 17th December. It is a 

 dwarf variety with small flowers of good form, but I fear it is not 

 very robust or hardy, as the frosts of last season injured the 

 leaves, and it has not flowered this spring. 



The Yellow Snowdrops 



form but a small class, two varieties only being known at pre- 

 sent. It must not be supposed that the petals of the flower are 

 yellow ; the name is given because of the rich yellow colour of 

 the ovary, and the markings on the inner petals are also of that 

 colour, instead of the usual green, and even the flower-stalks are 

 more yellow than green. 



G. lutescens was found some fifteen years ago by Mr. Sanders, 

 of Cambridge, in an old-fashioned garden in Northumberland. 

 When Mr.Harpur-Crewe first saw it he thought it was the " long- 

 looked-for G. rejlexus" but further observation convinced him 

 that it was not. This is a very beautiful and unique variety of 

 small size and of delicate constitution, but the reward of success 

 amply repays a little loving care and trouble. 



G. flavescens was discovered quite recently by Mr. W. B. 

 Boyd, of Melrose, in a cottage garden, also in Northumberland, 

 but in quite a different part of the county. This variety is rather 

 larger than G. lutescens, and all the yellow points are brighter in 

 colour with the exception of the flower- stem, which in my two 

 plants seems rather paler. G. flavescens is a very beautiful 

 variety, and will be a great favourite when it becomes known. 

 It also has the recommendation of growing and increasing 

 freely. 



The White Snowdrops 



also consist, at present, of two varieties only. 



G. poculiformis was first brought into notice by Mr. D. 

 Melville, who found it in the grounds at Dunrobin Castle. It has 



