April 4, 1891. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
493 
to the fine autumn we had last year, and the consequent 
proper ripening of the bulbs. They are of course later 
than those in the central bed, because no bottom heat 
has been given them until recently. 
New Varieties. 
Under this heading are placed all those varieties 
flowering for the first time. One of the finest varieties 
we have seen is that named Premier. The flowers are 
of large size, openly bell-shaped, and of a brilliant fiery 
scarlet deepening to crimson towards the base of the 
segments. A finely shaped flower is that named 
Vandyke, recently certificated. The flower of Zouave 
is broadly campanulate with a very short tube and over¬ 
lapping segments of a crimson-scarlet with darker veins. 
That of Julius is more funnel-shaped, and crimson with 
deeper reticulations. With the exception of Model, 
all the other varieties carried two, three, or four flowers 
on a scape. The flowers in this instance are of medium 
size, but beautiful in shape, of a dark crimson colour, 
with deeper veins, and the extraordinary number of 
seven are borne on a scape. The outer segments of the 
broadly campanulate flowers of Elgiva are much the 
broadest, but all are of a crimson-scarlet. The 
funnel-shaped flowers of Melona are scarlet, tinted 
with rose, with a white midrib to each segment. A 
fine variety is Enterprise, with brilliant scarlet flowers 
and white striations. A very distinct and floriferous 
sort is Avondale, for two scapes bore in the aggregate 
eight flowers of a soft red, suffused with deep salmon- 
red on the outer segments, and crimson towards the 
base. The Volunteer is a striking variety, with large 
crimson flowers, and a short and broad-rayed star at 
the base. The flowers of Flamines are deep crimson, 
darker on each side of the midrib, and beautiful in 
shape. The six-rayed star, so prominent in many 
kinds, is continued to the apex of the segments in 
Muta, which is otherwise of a light scarlet, reticulated 
with darker veins. 
There are several light-coloured varieties that, for 
practical purposes, may be considered as white ones. 
The flowers of Olivia are striated with red on each 
side of the midrib. It was recently certificated. Titan 
bears large white flowers, reticulated and suffused with 
scarlet towards the margin. Eglamonr is striped and 
reticulated with scarlet on a white ground ; while 
Venilia has long crimson lines on each side of the mid¬ 
rib, and is suffused with scarlet towards the margin. 
Older Varieties. 
Several flowered last year, amongst which was Sir 
Edward Buller, with crimson-scarlet flowers, and now 
to be put into commerce. The same applies to Der 
Kaiser, with scarlet flowers, shaded with rosy salmon. 
John Ruskin is a magnificent variety, smaller and 
darker than The Volunteer, but of the same type. The 
Champion, with huge crimson-scarlet flowers, is of the 
same flattened form. A bright flower is Rodney, having 
scarlet flowers, reticulated with white. The Empress 
of India is still a good old kind, of vigorous constitution, 
but hardly calls for description. The Star of India is 
small but pretty, and crimson-scarlet, with long 
greenish white rays. The segments of Ambient are 
long and crimson-scarlet, with deeper veins. A cheerful 
flower is Paulina, having a white midrib, and reticulated 
with white on a scarlet ground. The scapes and foliage 
of Brutus have a distinctly dark hue, with deep crimson 
flowers. Those of Helemes are crimson-scarlet, with a 
shade of rose at the top of the rays. 
Several white or light-coloured varieties of good 
quality are worthy of note. Lady of the Lake has only 
a few red lines on each side of the midrib on the upper 
segments. Another notable old variety is Finette, 
bearing two scapes with four flowers each, and having 
a few red lines on a white ground. Phiedra is prettily 
lined and reticulated with scarlet, giving it a light and 
elegant appearance. Equally distinct in another way 
is Clarinda, having its flowers mottled with crimson 
above the middle. Another cheerful variety is Delaval, 
the segments of which are lightly lined and netted with 
red. The Fairy is rightly named, for its moderate¬ 
sized flowers are white, and marked with a broken 
scarlet band on each side of the mid-rib. Very diffe¬ 
rent from all of the above is Bellona, with bright 
crimson-scarlet flowers, curiously tessellated with 
transverse markings. The scapes are only about 12 ins. 
high, and the flowers are of the same type as Dr. 
Masters, but some shades paler. The variety differs in 
these respects from all of the above, which have 
originated from other species with larger and differently 
constituted flowers. We are indebted to Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons for the opportunity of illustrating one 
of the best types of white Amaryllis. 
Amaryllis : One of the Best White Types. 
societies at home, encourages Competition, and closes 
its classes against no one, no matter from whence he 
hails. It will surprise some of my old friends in Bir¬ 
mingham to learn that we don’t even adopt the “ three 
mile radius, ” so conspicuous at one time in the schedule 
of that excellent society. The prizes offered, twenty 
pounds for twelve specimen plants, seven guineas for a 
group of forty-five feet, fifteen pounds for twenty-four 
Japanese (distinct), and fifteen pounds for twelve in¬ 
curved (distinct), should certainly induce competition, 
and the display thus made attract the public, at least 
we hope such will be the case.— J. H. II. 
-- 
NEW HIPPEASTRUMS 
(AMARYLLIS). 
In the shortness of the tube and the greatly expanded 
condition of the flowers, Olivia approaches the Conqueror 
Society at the Drill Hall last week by Messrs. J. Veitch 
& Sons, Chelsea, when Awards of Merit were accorded 
them. 
- •*&*• - 
AMARYLLIS AT CHELSEA. 
The Amaryllis house in the nursery of Messrs. James 
Veitch & Sons, Chelsea, is now gay with flowers of such 
all round general quality as has never hitherto been 
seen there. This result has been achieved by a long- 
continued process of cross breeding and vigorous weed¬ 
ing out of the inferior kinds. There are over 3,000 
scapes of bloom, of dwarf habit and subtended by good 
foliage, the result of forcing so gentle as hardly to 
deserve the name. A glaucous bloom covers both the 
scapes and foliage, indicating good health. A larger 
proportion than usual of the small bulbs on the side 
benches are throwing up flower scapes, owing probably 
pets—the “ ever-blooming ” Roses, and scored heavily 
with the same, notwithstanding a very telling exhibit 
in the non-competing classes from the same source. 
Countess of Pembroke was a very beautiful and con¬ 
spicuous example amongst the former. 
We can now retire for a brief period, and prepare, as 
your correspondent above alluded to says, for the 
“battle of the masses” which takes place on April 
23rd and 24th ; an account of which I will send you. 
That it will be a severe one is the general expectation ; 
already there are rumours of competitors from the 
neighbouring Colonies of Victoria, Tasmania, and New 
Zealand, in response to the liberal prizes offered by our 
society, which unlike some of the Chrysanthemum 
and the Champion. The segments, however, differ 
greatly in colour, and are white striped with red on 
each side of the broad mid-rib. The inner segments 
are the smaller, more especially the lower one, and 
there is a green band radiating from the base of each 
half-way along them. Two flowers are borne on a 
scape. Vandyke differs greatly in having a longer tube, 
and funnel-shaped flowers of a brilliant crimson-scarlet, 
so uniform all over that the usual six-rayed star in the 
centre is almost obliterated. The leaves are glaucous, 
and about half the length of the scape, which carries 
four flowers. One of the chief points about this 
variety is the regularity of the flowers. Both were 
shown at the meeting of the Royal Horticultural 
