LACHENALIAS. 



231 



there is the following note : " One of the late Mr. Nelson's seed- 

 lings, raised by him shortly before his death. It is most distinct 

 from all the other kinds in gardens. The flowers are larger than 

 those of any other, and, instead of being pendulous, as in other 

 large -flowered kinds, they are sub -erect. The colour is a bright 

 golden yellow, similar to that of L. Nelsoni. The foliage is 

 broad and unspotted ; in short, it is so different from any other 

 Lachenalia that it may prove to be a true species." 



Some seedlings of very great merit have been raised by the 

 Rev. Theodore H. Marsh, of Cawston Rectory, Norwich, to 

 whom I am indebted for specimens, and for information con- 

 cerning them and other Lachenalias. These seedlings are 

 characterised by brightness and variety of colour not to be found 

 in any others which I have seen. Some have been raised be- 

 tween quadricolor maculata crossed withL. Nelsoni, of which 

 " Garnet" may be taken as a good type. They flower in Feb- 

 ruary, and have all the brilliant colouring of L. quadricolor 

 maculata, with the large flowers and fine constitution of L. Nelsoni. 

 Others, of which " Cawston Gem " may be taken as an example, 

 are crosses between L. quadricolor maculata and L. tricolor, 

 L. luteola and L. aurea. They flower later than " Garnet," 

 and the specimens I have seen seem to be more robust and quite 

 as attractive. When bulbs of these get distributed a great im- 

 petus will be given to the cultivation of Lachenalias. 



Seedlings have also been raised at Glasnevin, some of which 

 possess considerable merit, but they lack the brilliant colours of 

 the Cawston seedlings. To one of these only will I draw your 

 attention, L. aureo-reflexa crossed with L. Nelsoni. Although 

 three times removed from L. reflexa it indicates the large ovary 

 of that species, and the characters of the plant are almost exactly 

 intermediate between those of the two parent plants. The most 

 interesting point lies in the direction of the flowers, some of 

 which are sub-erect, as in L. aureo-reflexa, some pendulous as 

 in L. Nelsoni, and some spread out horizontally. 



