202 
THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET 
u 
liar interest to the splendid series of varieties, that, 
chiefly by its aid, have been raised by Messrs. Veitch & 
Sons, of Chelsea. The hybrids figured in the year 1805 
in A an Houtte’s Flore des Serres were, in a way, won¬ 
ders of their time, but we have got far beyond the 
flowers with funnels and indefinite green stains, and 
look for expanded flowers of the most perfect symme¬ 
try both of form and color, and with novel markings to 
give the charm of variety to collections. 
At this point it seems proper to remark that in cross¬ 
breeding plants, varieties occasionally occur that have 
the individuality, the vigor, and the power of deter¬ 
mining the characters of 
future generations that 
we associate with species. 
For all that we know to 
the contrary they are spe¬ 
cies. and although brought 
about by human agency, 
have nevertheless been 
brought about in Nature's 
way, and with none but 
Nature’s materials. Some 
such we have in an Ama¬ 
ryllis called Acramauni 
jpalcherrimu, raised by 
Messrs. Garraway, of Bris¬ 
tol, and exhibited at Chis¬ 
wick in 1849, from A. 
aulica platypetala and A. 
Johnsoni. This Acramanni 
pulcherrima is a narrowish 
flowei of fine quality, the 
color rich, deep crimson, 
with a subdued green star. 
It has the potentiality of 
a species for the purposes 
of the raiser, and has in¬ 
fluenced the hybrids im¬ 
mensely. One of the finest 
varieties in which we see 
the influence of this plant 
is that named Dr. Masters, 
in which there is scarcely 
a trace of green, while the 
form and coloring are 
delightful. 
When we get amongst 
the varieties, however, it 
begins to be time to cease 
talking; therefore, it seems 
proper to devote the last chapter of this discourse to 
the general subject of the varieties. And the great 
question in connection with that general subject is, by 
what rules are we to judge the hybrids, for a code of 
properties is very much needed. From the point of 
view of the critical florist, the funnel is objectionable, 
but happily that is pretty well got rid of. The shorter 
the flower, the more complete, generally speaking, is its 
expansion, and above all things expansion is requisite 
to the display of the color. Now let us, as severe crit¬ 
ics, find as many faults as possible with the hybrid 
Amaryllis. The funnel is objectionable, even in its pres¬ 
ent severe limitation. The petals are unequal, and the 
front petal especially needs to be remodelled. For our 
present purpose we may regard all the divisions of the 
perianth as petals, although we might with propriety 
call the three outer divisions sepals, and the three inucr 
divisions petals. The length of the lowest of the three 
is noticeable as a fault in all the varieties. Another 
fault is the green color that so frequently occurs, but 
occasionally this assumes a beautiful form, and there¬ 
fore. I think it would be a mistake to condemn the 
green color in toto. It will in due time change to white, 
and a soft, creamy white would probably toll with great 
power, if symmetrically associated with high crimson 
color. In a good form of A. Leopoldi, we see a well- 
defined star, and the petals are tipped with white. A 
self-colored flower should 
be pure throughout, but 
we may recognize a star of 
good form and marginal 
color corresponding, and 
thus we may have self- 
colored flowers, starred or 
striped flowers, and tipped 
flowers. As a matter of 
fact, we have all these 
already, but the persist¬ 
ency of tin! green color is 
a common blemish. 
A great point in the new 
race, is the growth of 
leaves and flowers concur¬ 
rently. This is an im¬ 
mense gain, and we must 
make it a point of import¬ 
ance in estimating the 
merits of a variety. It is 
likely, too, that as the plant 
learns to produce leavesand 
flowers simultaneously, 
it will also learn that the 
green star in the flower is 
no longer needed, and thus 
improvement of the leafage 
will operate to the advan¬ 
tage of the flower, and we 
shall obtain the white, and 
perhaps the yellow star, 
that seems to be so much 
needed for the attainment 
of perfection. 
It may be properly urged 
that there are many beau¬ 
tiful species and varieties 
that are far removed from 
the properties thus suggested as desirable. It is no part 
of my business to condemn any of them; rather, I would 
say, let us rejoice at the infinite variety of Nature, and 
feast upon the beauty that is as yet “unadorned,” and 
therefore is “adorned the most. - ’ We have but to do 
with these as with other flowers. All the Roses and 
Perlargoniums and Azaleas that are at once beautiful 
and useful, and yet wanting in the properties that con¬ 
stitute floral perfection, are classed as “decorative,” and 
are judged as such. These wo hand over to the gar¬ 
deners and the world at large. But all the ugly and use¬ 
less flowers that Nature appears to have produced for her 
own private enjoyment, we hand over to the botanists, 
and these learned people appear to appreciate our gener¬ 
osity. We say of such things, “ take them up-stairs,” 
Hybrid Amaryllis—Leopoldi Type. 
