SNOWDROPS. 



185 



The flowers are of perfect shape, with very pale green markings 

 on the inner petals, which give them a very delicate appearance. 

 Many of the spathes are partially split, and a good number entirely 

 divided, as in G. Scharlokii. Miss Cathcart, of Auchendrane, 

 found this in her grounds, and kindly sent me roots of it in 188G. 

 Miss Cathcart also sent me a form very similar to G.poculiformis, 

 but not equal to the Dunrobin variety. 



Several years ago Mr. Murray, the gardener at West Ashby, 

 Horncastle, sent me roots of a ivliite-spathcd Snowdrop which 

 grew in the grounds there. It is not at all beautiful, neither is 

 it always constant to this character, but when seen at its best it 

 is very remarkable, there being two or three short white spathes 

 in addition to the usual green one. 



In 1880 I had sent me from two sources some very dried up 

 bulbs under the name of G. reflcxus. Most of these roots perished, 

 and neither lot has increased much. They were not quite alike, 

 but both were forms of G. nivalis, with small narrow-petalled 

 flowers, and very weakly in growth. 



Once or twice I have received so-called G. montanus, but 

 only to find that I had my old friend G. nivalis with a fresh 

 name. Probably the bulbs had been collected in a new district. 



I have a race of seedling Snowdrops which I believe to be 

 hybrids of G. Ehoesii and G. plicatus, as they seem to be inter- 

 mediate between the two species. Most of these have large, hand- 

 some flowers of great substance and fine form, and the inner 

 petals are generally entirely green. They are of strong growth, 

 and have broad glaucous leaves which, with very few exceptions, 

 have the edges slightly turned or folded. The flowers are carried 

 erect on very stout, tall stems. Amongst the best of these I may 

 mention G. hyb. " Majestic," a very fine variety, quite equalled by 

 G. h. " Titania," which has a grand flower and most distinct and 

 striking foliage. Merlin, Eobin Hood, Eaphael, and Creole may 

 also be mentioned as good varieties of this section. 



In raising seedlings of Snowdrops one meets with many disap- 

 pointments. This season I have bloomed about thirty seedlings 

 from G. Scharlokii, and only three of these have been different 

 from ordinary G. nivalis. Also about a dozen new seedlings from 

 G.virescens, every one of which has reverted to the common Snow- 

 drop. The same has happened with three seedlings from G. 

 lutescens. 



