1S2 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
mostly of pleasing colors, and yield a delicious fragrance. 
There are numerous species of Asiatic, 'Australian, and 
South American origin, -while one or two are found in 
"Western Africa, and some of the more hardy species are 
met in South Africa. One of the best known species is 
C. amabile; whether it is a species is a question with 
those who have made this family a study. Dr. Herbert 
regards it a spontaneous cross, probably between C. 
procerum and C. zeylanicum; the reasons for this con¬ 
clusion may have been obvious to him, although he did 
not make them clear to others. This species is exten¬ 
sively cultivated in Sumatra, being one of their favorite 
ornamental plants. It is also commonly met in collec¬ 
tions of rare and beautiful plants in this country; it re¬ 
quires to be grown in strong heat, and given plenty of 
pot room. This plant has very large pyramidal bulbs, 
often six to eight inches in diameter and two feet long; 
the leaves are from three to six feet long, and from 
three to six inches wide in the centre. The flower 
spike is much compressed, from three to four feet high, 
and bears an umbel of from thirty to fifty large, rosy, 
fragrant flowers, having a tube five or six inches long, 
and lanceolate petals as long as the tube. The South 
African species, C. capetise. is sufficiently hardy to grow 
in a frame, with the protection of dry leaves, and any 
convenient covering to protect them from rain, as 
they require to be kept dry during the winter. This 
species is commonly sold and known under the name 
of Amaryllis longifolia. When well established, it is a 
handsome, free-flowering plant; there are two distinct 
varieties, one with white, the other with pink flowers. 
The bulbs are remarkable for their tenacity of life; wo 
have kept them iu a dry state for two years without 
apparent injury, commencing to grow again as soon as 
potted. There are many very handsome hybrid varie¬ 
ties; among the number may be noticed C. Herbertii, 
raised between Scabrum and Capense, a plant of great 
beauty, bearing about a dozen flowers on a scape (stem) 
three feet high; the tube four inches long, the petals three 
to four inches of a blush color, with dark red stripes. 
Among the species of recent introduction is C. Pedun- 
culatum Pacijicum, the subject of our illustration. It 
is a noble species, popularly known as the Wedding 
Lily, introduced from Lord Howe’s Island, producing 
immense umbels of deliciously-scented, pure white blos¬ 
soms. The individual flowers are from four to five 
inches iu diameter, and as many as from twenty to 
thirty are produced in each umbel. The plant is of bold 
habit, with lanceolate, recurved and cylindrical-shaped 
bulbs. The delightful fragrance of its large and hand¬ 
some heads of chaste blossoms makes this plant a most 
desirable acquisition. All of the choice species are slowly 
propagated, which makes them rare and expensive. 
L. Siebrecht, Esq., of Hinsdale, Long Island, has a 
plant, which has flowered regularly for the past ten 
years but has never ripened a seed or made an offset. 
For this plant he has been offered one hundred dollars, 
which was refused, as its flowers yielded him a larger 
dividend than he could obtain from the money invested 
in any other way. 
MAY. 
“ Hay has come round to us again, like an old friend 
and a pleasant thought. It is, or ought to be, rich, pure 
and satisfying. Who would not go a-gardening in 
May ? Certainly no one who lives in a villa. On the 
contrary, see with what hurried steps men hasten from 
their offices in town, to become keepers and dressers of 
their gardens in the suburbs. Amid these elysiums, 
sacred to love and Nature, they forget the latest quota¬ 
tions on “ ’change,” and their last bargains, until they 
become partially assimilated to the freshness and sweet¬ 
ness of all around them. This is a delightful sort of 
Maying that all business-men may indulge in'; and few 
pleasures can equal, none exceed, the delights of gar¬ 
dening this month. The weather and the work, and all 
the accompaniments of both, are irresistibly pleasing. 
Have our readers tried the pleasures of gardening on 
an evening in May? If not, a new enjoyment is, in¬ 
deed, in store for them. But what shall we say of the 
delights of gardening on a May morning?' It passeth 
description; a joy too broad and deep and high for 
utterance. The air seem3 full of ravishing delights; it 
is soft, clear, still. Every new-bom leaf, sweet flower, 
and tender blade of grass, are bathed in dew, which the 
rising sun transforms into reticulated meshes of pearl 
necklaces. And what matin song can compare with 
those of the feathered choristers, as they pour forth 
their full measure of gladness on the stillness of the 
May morning air. To those pleasures of sight and sound 
is added that of the most ravishing sweetness, for— 
The garden’s fragrant breath ascends, 
And every stalk with odor bends. 
Amid such delights the work for the month may be 
performed. That work, if entered upon in the right 
spirit, and done in the best way, and at the proper 
time, will be a new pleasure in itself, and add to the 
sum total of all the others. We can enjoy the feast that 
Nature spreads most when we have helped her to pro¬ 
vide it. This gives a zest which we are anxious for all 
our readers to share. Only by entering into her labors 
can we with certainty fully partake of her joys. 
The first work for May is suggested by the tender 
purity of May growths, and the spotlessness of her 
flowers. Traces of winter in a garden in May, are like 
smut spots on the cheeks of beauty, or grease marks on 
a bridal dres3, or a harsh note in low sweet music. 
They are out of tune with the month, and must be in¬ 
stantly got rid of. No dead leaf or branch, no with¬ 
ered flowers, no weed, no dirt or rubbish must be seen 
anywhere in villa gardens in May. Without spot must 
be the rule of keeping lawn, gravel, flower-beds and 
borders, shrubberies, and kitchen garden, for the month 
of May.” 
Every preparation for the garden should by this time 
have been made, and during the month, all beds and 
borders should be filled. Bedding plants, Annuals, 
Dahlias, and all things started in the hot-bed should be 
