SNOWDROPS. 



195 



less variable than those of the flowers, I am led to believe that 

 the three species heading the columns of the above table really 

 form the backbone of the genus Galanthus, and I should not feel 

 at all surprised to find that all the other kinds of Snowdrops 

 known to us could be obtained as hybrids or seedlings of these 

 three main types. G. Fosteri is, as I believe, merely a natural 

 hybrid between G. latifolius and G. Elwesii, and I am at present 

 cross-fertilising G. latifolius and G. plicatus " Emerald," in the 

 hope of producing G. Fosteri as a synthetic proof of what I 

 believe to be true ; and I trust Mr. Allen and other Snowdrop 

 growers will also try this union. 



That G. nivalis and G. plicatus will hybridise with each 

 other we know, since Mr. Allen has a plant which sprang up in 

 his garden, where these two species were growing alongside each 

 other. It has been alluded to in my list as G. nivalo-plicatus 

 "Valentine." 



Before considering the floral characters of the Snowdrops, we 

 may, in passing, allude to the scape or flower-stem, which varies 

 in thickness, being nearly twice as thick in the case of 

 G. plicatus, G. Imperati, and G, caucasicus than it is in 

 G. nivalis. The scape is solid, elliptical in section, and fluted in 

 Snowdrops, as in Snowflakes (Leucojum and Erinosma), and not 

 hollow as in Narcissi and in Daffodils. 



The scape is topped by two spathe-valves, which are green, 

 and more or less connected by a translucent satin-like membrane. 

 In the case of the species this membrane is burst open on one 

 side only by the erect and swollen flower-bud, so that the green 

 valves are connected, and at first sight appear to be one only ; 

 but in such varieties as G. Scharloki, G. Cathcartice, and 

 G. Warei the spathe-valves are larger and more leaf- like in 

 texture, and in the two first named the valves often tear them- 

 selves apart, and so these phases have obtained the name of 

 twin-spathed Snowdrops. I have had from Lincolnshire a variety 

 with two sets of spathe-valves, the lower set being green and the 

 extra upper set being white like the sepals. 



In G. Ward the spathe-valves are leafy, but remain united 

 along one edge by a membrane, as in Snowdrops generally. 



All the Snowdrops in the early up- shooting bud stage form a 

 beautiful study. 



In the earlier stages of its existence the flower-bud of a 



